#economical dryer

[molsno]

it is horrendously wasteful that society has become so atomized under usamerican capitalism. the suburban flight spurred by racism proved so profitable for capitalists because suddenly everyone had to buy everything they would ever need instead of relying on public services and their communities to provide for them. there's a tendency in leftish spaces to talk about how suburbia demands car ownership and the consequences of that, but this is an issue that extends far beyond cars.

why does every household need a washing machine and dryer? if we lived in close, dense communities, we could have public free laundromats for every neighborhood. why does every household need a bathtub in lieu of public communal bathhouses? why does every household need specialized cookware when public food pantries could supply meals that are finished or nearly finished, leaving the final touches to the individuals eating them? why does every household need a toolkit when we could have public tool libraries where you could borrow tools as needed and return them when you're finished with them?

the list goes on, but I think it's clear that having these kinds of public facilities would be significantly less wasteful. if we're to have any hope of this planet being sustainable, we need to drastically reduce the amount of resources we consume, and the fact is that will not happen under an economic system that benefits most from forcing every individual to buy items for their own individual uses, even things that they'll rarely use. we need to completely restructure society so that everyone's needs can be met communally. not only will this be more sustainable, it will also guarantee that no one will be deprived of the things they need to live a satisfying life, and the increased time we spend in community with others will make us happier as people.

[dertaglichedan]

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are considering moving some manufacturing of home appliances from their Mexican plants to their U.S. plants, a South Korean newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The review comes as U.S. President Donald Trump said he was considering imposing 25% duties on imports from Canada and Mexico on Feb. 1.

Samsung Electronics is considering moving the manufacturing of dryers from its plant in Mexico to its plant in South Carolina, Korea Economic Daily reported, citing unnamed industry sources.

LG Electronics is also considering moving the manufacturing of refrigerators from Mexico to its factory in Tennessee, which makes washing machine and dryers, the newspaper said.

Samsung said it plans to monitor the situation and respond flexibly, as it operates production bases in many regions of the world. LG Electronics said it plans to respond to changes in the market by adjusting the production system and production sites.

[16woodsequ]

Sunday Steve - Day Ten

Things that would be new or unfamiliar to Steve in the 21st century, either due to the time period he grew up in, or his social-economic status and other such factors.

Day Ten: Laundry — Washer and Dryers

Washing Machine

1920s ad for a Thor brand washing machine. One of the first electric washing machines. Note the exposed motor underneath that could shock users when wet. (Imagine Steve associating Thor with washing machines 😆).

Laundry machines have a long history. The first washing machines were invented in the late 1800s. There were mechanical, hand powered machines, consisting of drums full of water and handles to agitate the laundry and turn the rollers to squeeze water from washed clothes.

However, these devices were most common in middle class families. Poor families who could not afford the machines and rich families who did not have to worry about the labour of laundry likely did not have these machines.

Laundry was a laborious task and families who could afford it had hired help to do their laundry or they sent out their laundry to be cleaned and returned.

Here is an account of laundry days in the 1920s for a family who had a scullery. They used a 'washing copper' tub that was built into the floor and had a space for a fire underneath. It is interesting how it describes typical washing without a washing machine, but Steve and Sarah likely lived in a tenement apartment building and did not have these facilities available to them.

We will get into what Sarah probably did when Steve was growing up. But one last laundry innovation to talk about in the 20s was the electric washer. The first electrical washer appeared in the US before the first World War thanks to the invention of the small electric motor (Link).

This blog page gives a good overview of how a domestic electric washing machine worked in 1927. The metal drum was manually filled with water (if you didn't have a hose, lifting and pouring water into the drum was your fate). Pre-prepared soap was added then pre-soaked clothes could be washed. The machines could handle about ten pounds, so clothes had to be regularly transferred in and out. After the wash, clothes were wrung out and put in scalding rinse water to remove soap. Clothes were then wrung out again (maybe rinsed a few more times), starched, and hung to dry. Some families had heated dryer cupboards to hang their clothes.

Domestic washing machines inside the home were not common before the 50s. They were growing in popularity in the 30s, but I doubt Steve every used any type of washing machine in his own home. Depending on how well off you feel the Barneses were they may have had one, but I still feel this wasn't very likely.

In 1920 only 8% of US families owned a washing machine. And by 1941 "only 52% of U.S. families owned or had interior access to an electric washing machine—almost half of families were still hand rubbing or hand cranking laundry or using commercial services" (Link).

Tenement Laundry Days

Reproduction of 1928-1935 tenement house.

Reproduction of 1890s era tenement apartment.

Wash days were usually on Monday. Sarah probably did these steps: Soaking the laundry, scrubbing, boiling, wringing, rinsing, wringing agin, and finally, hanging to dry. (Link)

In the second picture above a scrub board can be seen in the deep sink. The sink was likely used for soaking, scrubbing and rinsing. Scrub boards were used well into the 20th century.

While indoor plumping for tenements was becoming common in the 20s (especially for toilets), if they didn't have running water Sarah would have to trek up and down flights of stairs to fill her tub from the tap in the yard. (Link) This would most likely only be the case if Steve and Sarah lived in a pre-1905 tenement building as laws about tenements changed around that time. However, many tenements were cold water flats, so water would be boiled on the stove.

In the picture above you can see a large oblong metal tub on the stove. This is likely what was used for boiling.

After soaking (usually started Sunday night) clothes that were still soiled would be scrubbed, then the laundry was boiled. Clothes were boiled in water for an hour and stirred with a rod or wooden stick. They would then be removed with a fork or a rod, wrung out, rinsed (to remove soap) and wrung out again.

If Sarah (or Winifred) was able to afford it she may have a mangle to squeeze the water from washed clothes ($5.95-8.00 for a basic one in 1920). These two wooden rollers were dangerous because women could get their fingers or hair caught in them. They also sometimes damaged or broke off buttons. If she didn't have one, she'd wring them out by hand.

The spin cycle was developed to wring out clothes, and some electric washers had this feature going into the 30s. (Link)

Once wrung out, the clothes were hung to dry. In the winter clothes could be hung in front of the fireplace or stove (on a clothes horse for those who had one) if there was space, but they could also be hung outside to freeze and brought in before nightfall.

Tenement buildings commonly had clotheslines strung between buildings. "The advantage of living on a low floor (with fewer flights of stairs to climb) became a disadvantage on wash day, because when hanging your laundry out to dry, ‘someone else might put out a red wash or a blue wash over it, and it drips down and makes you do your wash all over again." (Link)

Berenice Abbott (1898-1991). Court of the First Model Tenements in New York City. March 16, 1936. Museum of the City of New York. (Link, many other examples of tenement clotheslines here. I think this is multiple days of laundry lines in one picture).

Abbott documented this space as a communal laundry line: ropes with pulleys led from apartments to five-story poles imbedded in concrete. Abbott made two exposures, with the laundry and poles forming different abstract configurations. She later recalled that winter day the laundry frozen stiff and the children huddled together, too cold to move.

If you didn't have a clothesline near your window you could dry your clothes on the roof. This required climbing more stairs and keeping an eye out for thieves. (Link)

Tuesdays were ironing days. There were electric irons in the 20s but people also still used multiple irons that had to be heated on the stove. Clothes needed to be damp and sprinkled with water while ironing. That is until steam irons were introduced in the 30s. (Link)

However:

What did Steve do after Sarah died? The same thing the Rogers would have done if Sarah had no time to do laundry, which is likely because she worked full time and laundry was an long chore. If Sarah did do her own laundry as well as worked, she would have worked very long hours trying to stay on top of everything.

For those who couldn't do laundry they would send out their laundry. The peak of the commercial laundry industry was in the 1920s. Many laundries were owned by Chinese immigrants and these laundries catered to single men. (Link) These laundries were cheaper than white-owned steam laundries, which generally catered to large institutions like hotels and hospitals, although they advertised to women as well. Here is a picture of a large commercial laundry.

Sending out laundry may have been a necessary expense on Sarah and Steve's part that they had to budget for. This recounting of a Chinese laundry has the clothes dried and ironed by the workers.

Women, especially black women, took laundry into their home. It is possible Sarah and Steve sent out their laundry to washerwomen, perhaps even one who lived in their own tenement. (Link)

If Sarah did not have the time, nor could afford to send out laundry (especially in the 30s), Steve may have had to deal with the shame of going to school in dirty clothes. Cleanliness was a point of pride and I'm certain Sarah would have made every effort to keep him clean but it may not have always been possible.

Laundry soap

Here is what was most typically used as laundry soap. It was also common, especially for rural families, to make their own soap out of lye and grate or cut up that as laundry soap. (Link)

(Link) Laundry soap options in 1927. They included purchasing flakes, chips, or powder; liquifying your soap ahead of time (right); and (left) grating your own laundry soap from a bar. Fels Naptha soap, which came in a big bar, was rubbed on difficult stains and rings around the collar.

Laundromats

The first laundromat or 'washateria' was opened in Texas in 1934. (Link) Laundromats grew in popularity and spread across the country. These early laundromats had rentable electric washing machines like the ones already mentioned in this post. Clothes were taken home damp to be ironed.

In the 40s the name laundromat became common to describe self-serve laundry. This name actually comes from a brand of automatic washing machine. (Link) Laundromats helps familiarize consumers with washing machines and grow their trust in them, thus ushering in the domestic washing machine age in the 50s and 60s and the decline of commercial laundry services.

Steve may have used a washateria or laundromat in the late 30s or early 40s but the machines would be different. They may have looked something like this:

Toploading washing machine bought in 1939 (Link) It has a motorized mangle.

This blog also has many 1940s ads to show other styles of washing machines. I think our modern washings machines would be somewhat recognizable if Steve saw these ads, but in general washing machines now look very different from the ones he probably saw.

Dryers

If one didn't hang their clothes to dry they were probably wealthy enough to have air dryers which became available in the early 1920s. These were rooms or cupboards. "These dryers could be powered by electricity, gas, or kerosene. In a good dryer, heated air circulated around the clothing so that the clothes did not bake and yellow. The hot air was pulled out of the cabinet and up a chimney" (Link).

Richer folks could also have their clothes dry in sunlit or steam-heated rooms at the top of their mansion or townhouse. (Link).

A sailor getting a uniform out of a clothes dryer in 1943 (link)

The first electric dryer was manufactured in 1938. (Link) Here's a picture of a 1940s dryer, it looks a bit like an oven.

Automatic dryers were slower to arrive. Launderettes had dryers after the war and this helped facilitate the arrival of dryers in the home.

Before dryers became common in laundromats clothes were taken back damp and ironed. This was more or less ideal anyways since clothes needed to be damp to be ironed if you didn't have a steam iron (which was still a luxury).

Dryers would be very new or completely foreign for Steve. I doubt he used one.

Army Laundry Days

This post is already long (I know), so quick coverage of what I found here.

Army training camps had laundries. The army developed laundry trucks (Quarter Master Laundry Units) to service medical units and troops in the field.

When the trucks couldn't keep up with the front (although they did their best) soldiers made arrangements with local laundries or cleaned their clothes themselves.

Clothing exchange was sometime done instead of cleaning and returning the same clothes to speed up the process. This was done most often with front line troops, often in conjunction with showers.

Steve specialised uniform (really, all of the commandos' uniforms) would probably complicate this process which is really interesting to think about. This wash trucks wouldn't be able to just bring standard uniforms to switch out since they were all wearing different uniforms from different armies. If it could be arranged beforehand they might be able to bring a new uniform for Steve, but I wonder if he wore regular fatigues most of the time and only switched into his Captain America suit during active missions to make things easier.

The mobile laundries also organized clothing repair.

This post got really long! I didn't get into the detailed steps of laundry before modern technologies really took off. But needless to say there's still a lot that could be said.

I have a housekeeping book from 1952 that goes into detail how to wash clothes. If anyone is interested in a post about that, you can let me know. I also have a catalogue reproduction showing laundry machines and prices from the early 20th century if anyone is interested,

Sunday Steve Masterpost

[chavisory]

One of the petty frustrations of the kind of city life that I live is how hard it can be to take care of clothing and things properly.

Like, I've had a couple of pillows, left behind by an old roommate, that are extremely good quality but had apparently never been washed and were...gross looking.

And I looked up instructions for cleaning and whitening yellowed pillows, and sources are like "soak in OxyClean in a tub for 24 hours" and...we have a kitchen sink, a bathroom sink, and a shower stall. We don't have a bathtub. I can't put the kitchen sink out of commission for 24 hours. I guess I could buy a giant, cheap plastic storage bin to use for this, but again...where? If I were alone in the apartment I could let this sit in the kitchen overnight, but I'm not; there's nowhere I can just take up that much space for a task like that.

Lots of things that need to be hand-washed/laid out flat to dry are really hard; we don't have enough of a common space that I can take it over like that! There are things I can wash one at a time in the sink and dry on a folding rack, and there are some that I could hang on the fire escape to dry if it were summer, but...it's not!

And so there's things I wind up paying more for professional cleaning for that I'd be fully capable of doing myself if only I had the space.

Anyway, so I took these pillows to the laundromat this morning before work and ran them in one of the big machines in hot water, didn't dry them, took them home and soaked them in bleach in the sink for a while, set out to let them air dry (because one roommate is out of town so I could use his room as well as the shower), went to work, got off early, came home, realized they would never dry under current atmospheric conditions (especially now that our heat is out), and also I'd already ruined a towel letting one drip onto it because I didn't get enough bleach rinsed out in the sink, so I took them both still sopping wet and heavy as shit back to the laundromat, ran them in the machine again, this time with no detergent and only warm water, let them spin dry, and this time put them in the dryer for about ten minutes...

And this is stupid and unfair and expensive, and I'm thinking so much about, like, class privilege and clothing care now. Like if I just had more money, I'd've probably just tossed them and bought new, good pillows.

But if I had a lot more money, I'd be able to live in a place that didn't make it ridiculously difficult to take care of my clothing and linens.

It's because I do belong to a certain economic class that it's advantageous to be able to fix and maintain things rather than replace them because money doesn't grow on trees...but also belonging to that economic class makes it significantly more costly to do that.

Anyway, I wish I'd taken before and after photos because these pillows look amazing and I can actually let people sleep on them now.

[businessmarketreports]

An Overview of UK Home Small Domestic Appliances Market: Trends and Insights

The UK home small domestic appliances (SDA) market has seen significant growth driven by evolving consumer lifestyles, technological innovations, and a growing focus on energy efficiency and sustainability. From kettles and toasters to handheld vacuums and smart kitchen gadgets, SDAs are becoming indispensable in UK households.

Buy the Full Report for More Category Insights into the UK Home Small Domestic Appliances Market

Download a Free Sample Report

Here’s an analysis of the key trends and insights shaping the market in 2024.

1. Market Size and Growth

The SDA market in the UK is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4-6% from 2023 to 2028, driven by post-pandemic shifts in home-based lifestyles.

Rising disposable income and increasing interest in premium and smart appliances are fueling demand.

2. Key Consumer Trends

a. Smart and Connected Appliances

Voice control integration (via Alexa, Google Assistant) and IoT-enabled SDAs are gaining traction.

Popular products: Smart kettles, Wi-Fi-enabled coffee makers, and robotic vacuum cleaners.

b. Health and Wellness Focus

Growing interest in air fryers, blenders, and juicers as consumers focus on healthier lifestyles.

Increased demand for air purifiers and humidifiers due to rising concerns over indoor air quality.

c. Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

UK consumers are prioritizing eco-friendly appliances with lower energy consumption, such as energy-efficient kettles and low-wattage irons.

Brands offering repairable and recyclable products are seeing stronger loyalty.

d. Compact and Space-Saving Designs

Urban living and smaller households drive demand for multi-functional and compact SDAs, such as 2-in-1 steamers or combination microwaves.

3. Product-Specific Insights

Kitchen Appliances

Coffee Machines:

Premium brands like Nespresso and De’Longhi dominate, with demand for bean-to-cup and pod-based machines increasing.

Air Fryers:

Brands like Tefal and Ninja lead as air fryers become a household staple.

Consumers prioritize larger capacities and multi-functionality.

Cleaning Appliances

Robotic Vacuum Cleaners:

Growing adoption of smart robotic vacuums from brands like iRobot and Eufy.

Consumers value mapping technologies and self-emptying features.

Handheld Vacuums:

Brands like Dyson continue to dominate the cordless vacuum segment, driven by innovations in battery life and suction power.

Personal Care Appliances

Growth in electric toothbrushes, hair dryers, and grooming kits, driven by brand diversification and targeted marketing.

4. Retail and Distribution Trends

E-commerce Boom:

Online channels like Amazon, Argos, and Currys are witnessing robust growth, fueled by convenience and competitive pricing.

Omni-Channel Experiences:

Retailers are integrating digital and in-store experiences, such as AR demos for products.

Subscription Models:

Brands offering subscription plans for products like coffee machines and vacuum filters are seeing higher customer retention.

5. Competitive Landscape

Key Players

Dyson:

Leader in cordless vacuum and air purifier segments, with a focus on cutting-edge design and functionality.

Ninja:

Dominates the air fryer market and continues to expand into other SDAs like blenders and multi-cookers.

Philips:

Strong presence in personal care and kitchen appliances, with a growing focus on energy efficiency.

Breville:

Known for kettles, toasters, and sandwich makers, with a strong mid-market appeal.

Market Share Dynamics

Premium brands like Dyson and Nespresso dominate the high-end segment.

Mid-range brands (e.g., Tefal, Morphy Richards) maintain steady growth by balancing affordability and quality.

New entrants offering smart or niche eco-friendly solutions are gradually gaining market share.

6. Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges

Economic Pressures:

Inflation and rising energy costs may deter discretionary spending on premium SDAs.

Supply Chain Disruptions:

Component shortages and logistical issues continue to affect manufacturing and delivery timelines.

Opportunities

Sustainability:

Brands investing in energy-efficient and recyclable products are likely to capture eco-conscious consumers.

Customization:

Offering customizable products (e.g., personalized coffee settings or modular vacuum components) can differentiate brands.

7. Future Outlook

Smart Home Integration:

Growth in smart home adoption will drive demand for IoT-enabled SDAs.

Health and Wellness Products:

Continued interest in products supporting healthy lifestyles, such as air purifiers and low-fat cooking appliances.

Sustainability Leadership:

Companies embracing circular economy principles will gain a competitive edge.

The UK small domestic appliances market is poised for steady growth, underpinned by consumer preferences for convenience, sustainability, and technology-driven innovation. Players who align their strategies with these evolving trends will be best positioned to thrive.

[webslingingslasher]

hey so uhh, idk how to say this but i need to talk to someone about this. its a long read so i get it of you skip this.

1) im not in the us nor any other 1st world country (this is relevant i promise)

im a freshman atm. i moved to a main city with many unis to one of the top unis in the country. i have a full ride which means i only have to pay for living expenses. im lucky enough to have my parents pay for it, i know that better than anyone. i also come from a city which is known for having a gated community filled with very rich people. i have stressed many times i am not from said gated comunity, in fact from the opposite side of the city. i also want to add that they do not consider my city, or any other city a 'real city' because they are not the capital of the country.

i live walking distance in a non walkable city so my rent is high in comparison to other places but theres amenities in this place that make it so worth it (all furniture, washer & dryer, hot&cold water included, cooking utensils, everything transplant students may need). no one here thats not in my situation will understand it (most students are native to the city and in general moving away to study is not very common in my country) and i get that.

i keep sensing that the specific group of my classmates which have become my friends because i obviously knew no one here (i hang with them the most) have this underlying animosity towards me and i dont know if i'm over thinking this, but i do have a history of choosing terrible people to befriend (not morals wise just in the way they treat me)

today in the gc they were joking about deportation and kept insisting i would get deported. (im white in a poc country (which most of the students at my uni are too)) i said i would get deported to a poor area of the country know for its farmland, given that my family actually DOES come from there, and i dont mean like four generations back, my parents were both born less that 10 years after my grandparents moved out.

to which both replied by telling me to 'stop pretending i have a struggle story' and to just 'admit im priviledged'. obviously, im offended. i never said i had a struggle story, i just stated the province my family is from and i've never acted as if im not priviledged. i like to consider myself to be hyper aware of my economic position considering my parents have always made it very clear where we stand politically and economically.

its not just those comments, there have been other things. i invited them over once and one of them (ill call her A) said for what i pay its not worth it and i could find a better place somewhere else (proceeded to indicate an area which is not walkable) after asking repeatedly to inform her if there were any units empty and if i wanted a roomate. she kept repeating my place 'is not worth it' for about a week after.

one time in class A mentioned how she was named after a telenovela and i said i didnt know about it. she kept dragging my not knowing on until i googled it. said telenovela ended YEARS before we were born and it was from another country, so obviously i didnt know. she proceeded to yell "if you dont have any culture its fine, just admit it"

as i mentioned, im white in a poc country. people always ask me where i'm from and sometimes insist when i dont say us/europe. sometimes i joke about it but only with certain people. these uni people are not in that group. i'm really proud of where i'm from and my culture, and i'm always defending it, so its really fucking annoying to be told i have no culture over a telenovela from a country thats a 12hr plane ride away.

she makes comments about how "i disgust her" and how shes "tired of me" but plays them off as jokes whener i make comments about having to leave uni after class because i need to buy groceries or i talk about back home (for example how our traffic jams are smaller, we are a smaller city, duh).

these comments also come when i mention i get takeout or something, which for context i will say is once a month since i cannot afford it all the time. comments will also come whenver i mention something about living alone like doing the laundry, cleaning days or my neighbours. they all live with their families in their childhood homes, but i kinda want someone to talk to about these things.

they will also judge my food habits and tell me to eat more sustainable stuff. i dont bring heavy foods to school. instead i bring light stuff like oats, yogurts, salads and bars since they are easier to make. they all take strong, home cooked meals which take time to cook to uni. they all live with their parents, of course they will always have a hearty meal. i'm learning how to cook. i cant waste food on complicated recepies i will probably get wrong just to keep up. i make my best efforts at home when i have the time. i take the safe meals to uni and when i dont have time/the food i buy at uni.

another thing that reslly frustrates me is that they always critisize me buying food but always expect some from it and will sometimes take it forcefully. once i bought a piece of pie which they all shitted on me for but they then tried to shame me into giving them some and 'letting them try it'. when i said i wasnt giving them any one of them ripped it from my hands and started running away to try it. that was not the only time they've ripped my food from my hands/ shoved it in my bag.

im not a total pushover and i do put my foot down but they always act as if im the one in the wrong when i do. i've also taken to just buying my food quietly and eating it a home.

one time A made a comment about me being 'so fucking rich' to which i said she doesnt live with me, she doesnt know anything. she then told me to not get upset.

she knows damn well i have a full ride, and i've said many times i could never afford this uni without a full ride. even with 75%, i couldnt make it. my parents are counting pennies back home so that i can study. i turn my breakers down in the middle of the caribbean heat to help with the light bill. im not the fucking oligarch she seems to think i am.

i've told her before im here because of my parents and their effort, and im aware all this sounds like typical rich kid talk, but my dad wouldnt eat when he was a uni student. he got a full ride to a uni and lived in a hostel. his mum would send him chicken once a week and he had to eat it in three days before it went bad since he didnt have a fridge. the other four days? he had to figure it out. my mum dropped out of uni twice. once to take care of my sick grandmother who still died and a second time because 2008 hit and they could barely feed two babies, let alone financially support other family members like they were expected to. my only chance at education has been scholarships, a fact which has been drilled into me since i was six.

obviously she doesnt know this, which to me means she further shouldnt be making comments about my economic position or my family.

i try to keep my mouth shut but all this is very annoying.

idk, am i the one in the wrong? or am i just overthinking this? if im being a spoiled brat i'd like to know. obviously i wont kiss away my apartment/my scholarship/my parents goodbye just because but i will watch my mouth more

idk. this is all over the place and messy. if you even read this i thank you, if you have any response even more

either way it feels good to let it go. i really dont have anyone else to talk to this about

you don't have to or need to explain your way into empathy with your "friends." i can't decide if they're jealous of you or just like having someone in the group to constantly bully.

your parents are working their hardest to support you and you're working your hardest to prove them right and i don't think they would like how your friends treat you.

i'm sending you a hug. <3333

[battleangel]

THE PLANET WILL DIE BY 2100!

THE PLANET IS DYING!

THE EARTH WILL DIE IN 100 YEARS!

100+ STUDIES PREDICT EARTH WILL BE UNINHABITABLE BY 2100!

Extreme weather never seen before — droughts, heat waves, back to back fire warnings than freeze warnings, 40+ degree temperature changes in one day, earthquakes & tornadoes in areas that never previously had them — signal the literal destruction of planet earth.

The sky is ACTUALLY falling!

•Do not have any children.

•Do not buy a house — live in a 1 bedroom apartment.

•Stop using air conditioning — use electric ceiling or box fan & open window.

•Keep thermostat for heat between 62 degrees & 68 degrees during winter.

•Work remotely if you can — W-2, contract, temp, part-time, freelance, fractional, start your own business — avoid working on-site & in an office that would require a daily commute.

•Only drive when absolutely necessary — walk, take the bus or stay home — should only be purchasing gas for car a few times a year at most.

•Do NOT buy an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle & do not use air taxis. •Cobalt is only available in Congo & is causing a genocide as local warlords kill each other & local civilians over the mineral that Apple, Tesla, Google, Samsung, etc. pays outrageous amounts for — men, women & children work in the Congolese mines for 12 to 16+ hours a day with no protective gear & cobalt is an extremely toxic mineral.

•Stop buying new cell phones — buy refurbished or used cell phones every 3 to 5+ years — cobalt is used for the batteries for all cell phones & is currently causing a genocide in Congo.

•Stop buying new electronic devices — laptops, tablets, TVs, smart watches.

•Cobalt is used for the batteries for all cell phones & is currently causing a genocide in Congo.

•Stop taking vacations — do staycations instead.

•Do staycations — local county & state fairs, carnivals, farms, parks, gardens, movie marathons or sleepovers at home, nature trails, hiking, local museums.

•Stop flying in airplanes.

•Do not fly anywhere unless absolutely unavoidable.

•Do not go on cruises.

•Do not stay in hotels.

•Stay in motels, economic lodging, airbnb, vrbo or couch surf with locals.

•Minimize meat intake — stop eating meat Monday through Friday.

•No plastic water bottles.

•Buy water filter + use stainless steel water thermos.

•No showering or bathing.

•Wash at sink with face cloth & soap.

•Do not live in an apartment with a washing machine & dryer.

•Only do laundry at laundromat every 30 to 90+ days.

•Do not live in an apartment with a dishwasher — wash dishes by hands.

•Only do laundry at laundromat every 30 to 90+ days.

•Reduce single use plastic whenever possible.

•Six R’s: Refuse, repair, reduce, reuse, recycle.

•Delete Prime & Amazon account.

•Do not buy from Amazon.

• Borrow books from local library or purchase from local book stores or independent book stores online.

•Stop using fast fashion apps — Shein, Zaful, Romwe, Fashion Nova.

•Stop buying clothes at the mall, department stores & chains.

•Do not buy new clothes.

•Buy used clothes from online & in-person thrift shops — Depop, Mercari, Etsy, Poshmark, Goodwill & consignment stores.

•Reuse current outfits until they are unwearable — 25+ years.

•Only buy new shoes when current pair breaks down — every 10+ years.

•Stop using plastic sanitary pads & plastic tampon applicators — wear period underwear + biodegradable tampons without applicators or period cups or menstrual discs.

•Shave your head yourself with a razor at home every 1 to 3 months — stop going to hair salons & barbershops — do not use any hair products (shampoo, conditioner, oil, gel, spray, etc.) — do not dye hair — do not color gray hairs.

•Wear wigs for 3 to 5+ years before replacing.

•Be frugal & minimize consumerism.

•Do not purchase anything online more than 1 to 3 times a year.

•Do not buy gifts for anyone.

•Advocate for antinatalism — the belief that procreation is immoral & unjust.

•Advocate for the voluntary extinction of the human race both online & in-person.

•Minimize fast food, delivery, takeout & sit down restaurants to a few times a year.

•Do not use KCups & minimize buying coffee at Dunkin Donuts, QuickChek, Wawa, Starbucks or any chain.

•Brew coffee at home with reusable pod.

•Avoid big box retail & chains.

•Shop local grocers, food markets & mom & pop small businesses.

Make these changes because of climate change.

Make the change to save our dying planet!

Make that change!

[shoujoboy-restart]

Alan Menken and Howard Ashman: hey what if we made one of those stereotypical disney princess songs about wanting a better life but is all about middle class stereotypical stuff like Tupperware MLMs and eating frozen dinner, lol that would be so funny haha, it's 1986 so for sure everything here will be dated.

Multiple generations after the 2008 economic crash:

A WASHER AND DRYER WITH PINESOL SCENTED AIR SOMEWHERE THAT'S GREEN!

[nogling]

$65000 a year is not quite middle class.

It is by no means “rich”.

Most people making $65k a year are living paycheck to paycheck. They cannot afford to buy a house. They cannot afford childcare. Since most jobs that pay $65k a year require some form of secondary education, chances are they have pretty substantial student loan debt.

$65000 in 2024 is the equivalent of, funnily enough, about $17000 in 1980.

A person making $65k a year is likely taking home about $950 a week after taxes/insurance.

Average rent for a one bedroom apartment in the US is currently $1563 a month - let’s say this hypothetical person lives in a part of the country that is somewhere in the middle, between low cost of living and high cost of living, so let’s adjust that down a skosh to, say, $1450 a month.

$950 x 4 = $3800 per month - let’s say $4000 for easier math and to account for months with 5 paychecks, rather than four. That makes the average one bedroom apartment about 36% of your income.

Now let’s get some groceries - average grocery cost per person is $240 to $425 a month. Let’s make that $300, for easy math. We’re down to $2250, now, by the way.

Let’s go ahead and get some utilities for that apartment, shall we? Let’s estimate $150 for electric, $50 for basic internet, and $100 for a cell phone. Down to $1950.

Now we have to talk about transportation. Most of the US realistically requires a car, and most people buy cars on credit, so let’s say our hypothetical person has decent credit and bought an economical used car - let’s go with a five year old Toyota Corolla, with a little under 100k miles. According to auto trader, with decent credit and a $500 down payment, that 2018 Corolla will cost $371 a month - for easy math, let’s call that $350.

But cars require insurance - and since it’s financed, that means full coverage. Let’s assume our hypothetical person is a pretty safe driver, so their insurance is $150 a month. They also need fuel - average price of gas in the US is $3.25 a gallon. That Corolla has a 12 gallon tank, and gets good gas mileage - chances are our hypothetical person can get by with a full tank every two weeks, which works out to about $80 a month. That car will be pretty reliable, as long as you maintain it - let’s set aside $20 a month for things like oil changes and tires and windshield wiper blades and air filters and brakes. We’re down to $1350.

Okay, so we have a roof, a vehicle, food, phone, and internet. Let’s go ahead and start accounting for things like clothes, shoes, dishes/furniture, the kind of thing that you don’t necessarily buy every month but do require periodic replacement. Let’s set aside $200 a month for these kinds of expenses.

Chances are that one bedroom apartment doesn’t have a washer and dryer, so we need to account for laundry - let’s say $50 a month, or roughly $10 a week, plus a little extra to give us some cushion when the only machines open are the little ones, and the dryers are busted and take three rounds.

Our hypothetical person is trying to stay healthy, so they also have a gym membership - $50 a month will get you access to the Y, which is pretty sweet. Down to $1050 now. They probably also want some kind of entertainment, so let’s give ‘em a Netflix account and a little bit of DoorDash money - let’s go with $150 a month, which lets them eat out once a week and watch some TV.

$900 to go.

The average monthly student loan payment is $500.

Oof, that doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room. Now that remaining $400 a month has to cover things like….doctor’s appointments, prescriptions, personal hygiene, and savings.

What that means is that someone making $65k a year is one emergency away from serious financial struggle. It means they have their needs met pretty consistently, but can’t afford to save for a house or a vacation, can’t afford to have children, can’t afford a wedding, can’t afford a serious illness. They are definitely not rich.

If you make $17000 a year, you deserve to make more money. Period. But that money shouldn’t come from the people making $65000 a year - it should come from the people making $2 million an hour.

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Tariffs. They started a revolution—the one involving King George III, John Hancock, and a duty on tea (ok, sure, there were other grievances). And though tossing all your South Korean glass skin serums into Boston Harbor might not work this time, emotions are likely to run high as the Trump administration follows through on its promises to increase tariffs on imports to the U.S. To date, a 10 percent tariff has been imposed on Chinese imports, and prices are likely to go up at a similar rate; tariffs on EU imports are expected to follow suit, and proposed tariffs on Mexican and Canadian products (25 percent for each country) have been put on a temporary hold as policy negotiations proceed. (China has announced retaliatory tariffs on US imports.) In late 2024, we dug into just how steeper taxes on beauty imports could impact the industry and our own shopping carts.In this story:AccordionItemContainerButtonWhat is a tariff?Tariffs are taxes paid to a government on goods imported from abroad. They’re not particularly novel in our country, even in recent history: In 2018 and 2019, Trump—who nicknamed himself “Tariff Man”—imposed tariffs on $380 billion worth of certain products and materials imported from a variety of countries, including many from China. During his 2024 campaign, Trump said he’d enact even higher tariffs on imported goods. He has suggested putting in place 10 to 20 percent tariffs on all imports, and 60 to 100 percent tariffs on imports from China. Though no one can say for sure what will ultimately come to pass during the rest of this administration, many of the numbers it has put forth are nearly 10 times more than the tariffs Trump enacted in his previous term, according to Wendy Edelberg, PhD, senior fellow in economic studies at The Brookings Institution.The general thinking behind tariffs, on both sides of the aisle, is that taxing foreign goods will boost the American economy by increasing domestic jobs and sales on domestic-made products. They can also be used as leverage in negotiations with other countries. Over the past four years, President Biden kept most of Trump’s tariffs in place, discontinued others, and created some of his own. The tariffs under the Biden administration, however, were much smaller than what Trump has been suggesting in recent months, says Edelberg, who notes that these could be the first average double-digit tariff rates for all imports since the 1940s.Why should you care about tariffs?Because a higher cost of goods can mean higher prices when you check out. Sellers have a few ways of responding to tax increases on imported products, says Edelberg. They can try to negotiate with the supplying foreign companies for lower costs, but that’s not likely to fly. They can elect to eat some or all of the extra costs in the interest of maintaining market share and consumer loyalty. Or they can pass the pain onto consumers. Looking forward to the potential tariffs coming in 2025, “the prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up,” says Philip Rothman, PhD, professor of economics at East Carolina University.Though a big motivation behind taxing imports is encouraging sales of American-manufactured goods, economists say tariffs don’t necessarily do that because when foreign-supplied products go up in price, American-made ones often follow suit. For instance, in his first term, Trump introduced a tariff on foreign-made washing machines, which increased their prices. It wasn’t long before domestic washing machines became more expensive, too. (If a foreign company can charge more, why can’t we?) Even though Trump didn’t enforce tariffs on dryers, perhaps you can guess what happened. “People think of washing machines and dryers as going together,” says Edelberg. “So when the dryers look cheap next to the washers, companies can get away with raising their prices too.”The U.S. imports trillions of dollars of goods each year—in 2023, nearly $4 trillion, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Given the huge volume of imports from overseas, this means tariffs are likely to affect items we purchase every day, from clothes and groceries to car parts and medical supplies. And, yes, beauty and personal care products.How could new tariffs affect the beauty industry specifically?Depending on the origin country of the goods, Americans could pay up to a significant premium—from 10 to over 60 percent—on imported skin care, makeup, and other personal care items. If you’ve been buying a $60 moisturizer that’s imported from Europe, for example, it’s reasonable to speculate you’d pay $12 more, or $72, for that item under a 20 percent tariff. “Evidence suggests prices would likely go up by the amount of the tariff,” says Rothman.But just because a product is manufactured in the U.S. doesn’t mean it’s totally American-made and immune from tariffs. Many non-imported items use foreign “input,” economics-speak for things like ingredients and packaging. Betsey Stevenson, PhD, professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan says that even if a product is manufactured domestically, sellers may end up paying (and charging) more due to tariffs on other parts of the supply chain.In a TikTok video, cosmetic chemist Javon Ford said beauty companies who use patented ingredients manufactured abroad could be affected because they can’t buy that exact ingredient at a lower cost elsewhere. A concealer, for example, could use a material that’s made by a European company—under tariffs, their options would be to pay more for that ingredient, or to reformulate.“The prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up.”For the most part though, beauty brands are sourcing the ingredients for products sold in the U.S. from American suppliers, says independent cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski. One exception are plant-based ingredients like coconut oil or palm oil—commonly used in foundation, concealer, lipstick, and more. Romanowski says products that contain those ingredients are more likely to see price spikes—the United States simply doesn’t grow that many coconut palms (which produce both oils). The same is true for products made with exotic ingredients, like a perfume with a note from vanilla only found in Madagascar. Source link

[norajworld]

Tariffs. They started a revolution—the one involving King George III, John Hancock, and a duty on tea (ok, sure, there were other grievances). And though tossing all your South Korean glass skin serums into Boston Harbor might not work this time, emotions are likely to run high as the Trump administration follows through on its promises to increase tariffs on imports to the U.S. To date, a 10 percent tariff has been imposed on Chinese imports, and prices are likely to go up at a similar rate; tariffs on EU imports are expected to follow suit, and proposed tariffs on Mexican and Canadian products (25 percent for each country) have been put on a temporary hold as policy negotiations proceed. (China has announced retaliatory tariffs on US imports.) In late 2024, we dug into just how steeper taxes on beauty imports could impact the industry and our own shopping carts.In this story:AccordionItemContainerButtonWhat is a tariff?Tariffs are taxes paid to a government on goods imported from abroad. They’re not particularly novel in our country, even in recent history: In 2018 and 2019, Trump—who nicknamed himself “Tariff Man”—imposed tariffs on $380 billion worth of certain products and materials imported from a variety of countries, including many from China. During his 2024 campaign, Trump said he’d enact even higher tariffs on imported goods. He has suggested putting in place 10 to 20 percent tariffs on all imports, and 60 to 100 percent tariffs on imports from China. Though no one can say for sure what will ultimately come to pass during the rest of this administration, many of the numbers it has put forth are nearly 10 times more than the tariffs Trump enacted in his previous term, according to Wendy Edelberg, PhD, senior fellow in economic studies at The Brookings Institution.The general thinking behind tariffs, on both sides of the aisle, is that taxing foreign goods will boost the American economy by increasing domestic jobs and sales on domestic-made products. They can also be used as leverage in negotiations with other countries. Over the past four years, President Biden kept most of Trump’s tariffs in place, discontinued others, and created some of his own. The tariffs under the Biden administration, however, were much smaller than what Trump has been suggesting in recent months, says Edelberg, who notes that these could be the first average double-digit tariff rates for all imports since the 1940s.Why should you care about tariffs?Because a higher cost of goods can mean higher prices when you check out. Sellers have a few ways of responding to tax increases on imported products, says Edelberg. They can try to negotiate with the supplying foreign companies for lower costs, but that’s not likely to fly. They can elect to eat some or all of the extra costs in the interest of maintaining market share and consumer loyalty. Or they can pass the pain onto consumers. Looking forward to the potential tariffs coming in 2025, “the prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up,” says Philip Rothman, PhD, professor of economics at East Carolina University.Though a big motivation behind taxing imports is encouraging sales of American-manufactured goods, economists say tariffs don’t necessarily do that because when foreign-supplied products go up in price, American-made ones often follow suit. For instance, in his first term, Trump introduced a tariff on foreign-made washing machines, which increased their prices. It wasn’t long before domestic washing machines became more expensive, too. (If a foreign company can charge more, why can’t we?) Even though Trump didn’t enforce tariffs on dryers, perhaps you can guess what happened. “People think of washing machines and dryers as going together,” says Edelberg. “So when the dryers look cheap next to the washers, companies can get away with raising their prices too.”The U.S. imports trillions of dollars of goods each year—in 2023, nearly $4 trillion, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Given the huge volume of imports from overseas, this means tariffs are likely to affect items we purchase every day, from clothes and groceries to car parts and medical supplies. And, yes, beauty and personal care products.How could new tariffs affect the beauty industry specifically?Depending on the origin country of the goods, Americans could pay up to a significant premium—from 10 to over 60 percent—on imported skin care, makeup, and other personal care items. If you’ve been buying a $60 moisturizer that’s imported from Europe, for example, it’s reasonable to speculate you’d pay $12 more, or $72, for that item under a 20 percent tariff. “Evidence suggests prices would likely go up by the amount of the tariff,” says Rothman.But just because a product is manufactured in the U.S. doesn’t mean it’s totally American-made and immune from tariffs. Many non-imported items use foreign “input,” economics-speak for things like ingredients and packaging. Betsey Stevenson, PhD, professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan says that even if a product is manufactured domestically, sellers may end up paying (and charging) more due to tariffs on other parts of the supply chain.In a TikTok video, cosmetic chemist Javon Ford said beauty companies who use patented ingredients manufactured abroad could be affected because they can’t buy that exact ingredient at a lower cost elsewhere. A concealer, for example, could use a material that’s made by a European company—under tariffs, their options would be to pay more for that ingredient, or to reformulate.“The prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up.”For the most part though, beauty brands are sourcing the ingredients for products sold in the U.S. from American suppliers, says independent cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski. One exception are plant-based ingredients like coconut oil or palm oil—commonly used in foundation, concealer, lipstick, and more. Romanowski says products that contain those ingredients are more likely to see price spikes—the United States simply doesn’t grow that many coconut palms (which produce both oils). The same is true for products made with exotic ingredients, like a perfume with a note from vanilla only found in Madagascar. Source link

[ellajme0]

Tariffs. They started a revolution—the one involving King George III, John Hancock, and a duty on tea (ok, sure, there were other grievances). And though tossing all your South Korean glass skin serums into Boston Harbor might not work this time, emotions are likely to run high as the Trump administration follows through on its promises to increase tariffs on imports to the U.S. To date, a 10 percent tariff has been imposed on Chinese imports, and prices are likely to go up at a similar rate; tariffs on EU imports are expected to follow suit, and proposed tariffs on Mexican and Canadian products (25 percent for each country) have been put on a temporary hold as policy negotiations proceed. (China has announced retaliatory tariffs on US imports.) In late 2024, we dug into just how steeper taxes on beauty imports could impact the industry and our own shopping carts.In this story:AccordionItemContainerButtonWhat is a tariff?Tariffs are taxes paid to a government on goods imported from abroad. They’re not particularly novel in our country, even in recent history: In 2018 and 2019, Trump—who nicknamed himself “Tariff Man”—imposed tariffs on $380 billion worth of certain products and materials imported from a variety of countries, including many from China. During his 2024 campaign, Trump said he’d enact even higher tariffs on imported goods. He has suggested putting in place 10 to 20 percent tariffs on all imports, and 60 to 100 percent tariffs on imports from China. Though no one can say for sure what will ultimately come to pass during the rest of this administration, many of the numbers it has put forth are nearly 10 times more than the tariffs Trump enacted in his previous term, according to Wendy Edelberg, PhD, senior fellow in economic studies at The Brookings Institution.The general thinking behind tariffs, on both sides of the aisle, is that taxing foreign goods will boost the American economy by increasing domestic jobs and sales on domestic-made products. They can also be used as leverage in negotiations with other countries. Over the past four years, President Biden kept most of Trump’s tariffs in place, discontinued others, and created some of his own. The tariffs under the Biden administration, however, were much smaller than what Trump has been suggesting in recent months, says Edelberg, who notes that these could be the first average double-digit tariff rates for all imports since the 1940s.Why should you care about tariffs?Because a higher cost of goods can mean higher prices when you check out. Sellers have a few ways of responding to tax increases on imported products, says Edelberg. They can try to negotiate with the supplying foreign companies for lower costs, but that’s not likely to fly. They can elect to eat some or all of the extra costs in the interest of maintaining market share and consumer loyalty. Or they can pass the pain onto consumers. Looking forward to the potential tariffs coming in 2025, “the prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up,” says Philip Rothman, PhD, professor of economics at East Carolina University.Though a big motivation behind taxing imports is encouraging sales of American-manufactured goods, economists say tariffs don’t necessarily do that because when foreign-supplied products go up in price, American-made ones often follow suit. For instance, in his first term, Trump introduced a tariff on foreign-made washing machines, which increased their prices. It wasn’t long before domestic washing machines became more expensive, too. (If a foreign company can charge more, why can’t we?) Even though Trump didn’t enforce tariffs on dryers, perhaps you can guess what happened. “People think of washing machines and dryers as going together,” says Edelberg. “So when the dryers look cheap next to the washers, companies can get away with raising their prices too.”The U.S. imports trillions of dollars of goods each year—in 2023, nearly $4 trillion, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Given the huge volume of imports from overseas, this means tariffs are likely to affect items we purchase every day, from clothes and groceries to car parts and medical supplies. And, yes, beauty and personal care products.How could new tariffs affect the beauty industry specifically?Depending on the origin country of the goods, Americans could pay up to a significant premium—from 10 to over 60 percent—on imported skin care, makeup, and other personal care items. If you’ve been buying a $60 moisturizer that’s imported from Europe, for example, it’s reasonable to speculate you’d pay $12 more, or $72, for that item under a 20 percent tariff. “Evidence suggests prices would likely go up by the amount of the tariff,” says Rothman.But just because a product is manufactured in the U.S. doesn’t mean it’s totally American-made and immune from tariffs. Many non-imported items use foreign “input,” economics-speak for things like ingredients and packaging. Betsey Stevenson, PhD, professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan says that even if a product is manufactured domestically, sellers may end up paying (and charging) more due to tariffs on other parts of the supply chain.In a TikTok video, cosmetic chemist Javon Ford said beauty companies who use patented ingredients manufactured abroad could be affected because they can’t buy that exact ingredient at a lower cost elsewhere. A concealer, for example, could use a material that’s made by a European company—under tariffs, their options would be to pay more for that ingredient, or to reformulate.“The prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up.”For the most part though, beauty brands are sourcing the ingredients for products sold in the U.S. from American suppliers, says independent cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski. One exception are plant-based ingredients like coconut oil or palm oil—commonly used in foundation, concealer, lipstick, and more. Romanowski says products that contain those ingredients are more likely to see price spikes—the United States simply doesn’t grow that many coconut palms (which produce both oils). The same is true for products made with exotic ingredients, like a perfume with a note from vanilla only found in Madagascar. Source link

[dragonfruit-daydreams]

He signed into law the Postal Service Reform Act, which ended the Postal Services' requirement that they prefund their retirees' health benefits far in advance instead of when they're due, something that no other federal agency has to do. (Remember when everyone was talking about this problem?) He also signed into law the first gun control legislation in 30 years, the biggest expansion in veterans' healthcare in 30 years, the American Rescue Plan, an infrastructure repair bill (which our country's aging infrastructure desperately needed) and the Inflation Reduction Act, or the biggest investment in fighting climate change in our nation's history. It also includes several provisions to lower out of pocket drug costs for Medicare patients, including capping insulin prices for some patients at $35, which caused three pharmaceutical companies that control almost the entire insulin market to cap their monthly insulin copays to $35 for many patients.

The Biden administration has provided nearly $132 billion in student loan debt relief for more than 3.6 million borrowers. This includes people who have been paying on their student loans for at least 10 years, those whose accounts were mismanaged, and public servants. He created the SAVE income driven repayment plan, a very generous and forgiving plan that is the most affordable option for a lot of people. Including me! It's the one I'm on. The administration also rolled out the Fresh Start program to help the nearly 7 million borrowers experiencing default improve their credit and immediately access SAVE.

The Social Security Administration issued a rule preventing food assistance from reducing payments to people who recieve Supplemental Security Income. SSI is for low-income people aged 65 or older or living with a disability. Before the rule, people who recieved it could see their SSI payments cut by as much as a third because friends or family provided meals or bought them groceries. People who recieve SSI are also one of the most food insecure groups in the US, so this change matters a lot.

He pardoned thousands of Americans convicted of simple possession of marijuana on federal lands in 2022 and then did it again for use and simple possession in 2023, making it easier for those folks to rent a home, find a job, or travel.

Under him, the FDA approved the first ever over the counter birth control pill, making the drug more accessible and hopefully affordable. Similarly, the FDA approved over the counter hearing aids for the first time, meaning people no longer have to have expensive hearing exams to access them. He's taken a number of steps on reproductive rights, including issuing an executive order to protect abortion access. He allowed retail pharmacies to dispense mifepristone.

The EPA banned 6 kinds of PFAs from drinking water. These chemicals have been linked to a variety of adverse health effects. The agency also published rules requiring more than 200 chemical plants to reduce toxic emissions that are likely to cause cancer, as well as rules requiring coal-fired power plants to reduce pollution and dramatically slash greenhouse gas emissions or shut down.

The Biden administration finalized rules that bring back protections for animals classified as "threatened" with extinction, clarify that decisions must be made about whether to list species without considering economic factors, and make it easier to designate areas as crucial for a species' survival, even if it is no longer found in those areas. The USDA finalized protections for Tongass National Park, the government halted Trump-era plans to allow logging in Northern Spotted Owl habitat, an endangered bird, and passed the first updated washer and dryer efficiency standards in over 10 years, saving Americans $2.2 billion a year on their utility bills and eliminating 71 million tons of carbon dioxide over 30 years. This is in addition to new standards for stoves, fridges, and freezers, and dishwashers and wine coolers are up next.

His administration also expanded Title IX to prohibit discrimination against LGBT people in federally funded schools and give survivors more legal rights, and the Department of Health and Human Services passed rules that prohibit health providers and insurers that recieve federal funding from discriminating against LGBT people.

He released the first ever national plan to combat anti-semitism, which includes over 100 steps that federal agencies have committed to taking within a year. A rule that went into effect in December could make it easier for workers to unionize. He's appointed 175 federal judges, most of whom are women or people of color, and plans to appoint more. It's crucial that Democrats retake the federal judiciary when judges make crucial decisions about our laws. And this is just the stuff I know of off the top of my head. It may go under-discussed, but he's done a lot of things that have helped a lot of people. No, he's not a good person. Yes, we need to hold him accountable for heinous acts. But voting is harm reduction and it matters.

I really think people have forgotten just how bad things were under the Trump Administration. Literally every day there was news about some service being cut or someone terrible appointed somewhere they shouldn’t be or what have you. He constantly flirted with WW3 and military dictatorship. It was such a blur of badness that there aren’t big standouts for people to point to to make him “the XYZ president.” it was everything. all the time. Why do we not remember this.

[chilimili212]

Tariffs. They started a revolution—the one involving King George III, John Hancock, and a duty on tea (ok, sure, there were other grievances). And though tossing all your South Korean glass skin serums into Boston Harbor might not work this time, emotions are likely to run high as the Trump administration follows through on its promises to increase tariffs on imports to the U.S. To date, a 10 percent tariff has been imposed on Chinese imports, and prices are likely to go up at a similar rate; tariffs on EU imports are expected to follow suit, and proposed tariffs on Mexican and Canadian products (25 percent for each country) have been put on a temporary hold as policy negotiations proceed. (China has announced retaliatory tariffs on US imports.) In late 2024, we dug into just how steeper taxes on beauty imports could impact the industry and our own shopping carts.In this story:AccordionItemContainerButtonWhat is a tariff?Tariffs are taxes paid to a government on goods imported from abroad. They’re not particularly novel in our country, even in recent history: In 2018 and 2019, Trump—who nicknamed himself “Tariff Man”—imposed tariffs on $380 billion worth of certain products and materials imported from a variety of countries, including many from China. During his 2024 campaign, Trump said he’d enact even higher tariffs on imported goods. He has suggested putting in place 10 to 20 percent tariffs on all imports, and 60 to 100 percent tariffs on imports from China. Though no one can say for sure what will ultimately come to pass during the rest of this administration, many of the numbers it has put forth are nearly 10 times more than the tariffs Trump enacted in his previous term, according to Wendy Edelberg, PhD, senior fellow in economic studies at The Brookings Institution.The general thinking behind tariffs, on both sides of the aisle, is that taxing foreign goods will boost the American economy by increasing domestic jobs and sales on domestic-made products. They can also be used as leverage in negotiations with other countries. Over the past four years, President Biden kept most of Trump’s tariffs in place, discontinued others, and created some of his own. The tariffs under the Biden administration, however, were much smaller than what Trump has been suggesting in recent months, says Edelberg, who notes that these could be the first average double-digit tariff rates for all imports since the 1940s.Why should you care about tariffs?Because a higher cost of goods can mean higher prices when you check out. Sellers have a few ways of responding to tax increases on imported products, says Edelberg. They can try to negotiate with the supplying foreign companies for lower costs, but that’s not likely to fly. They can elect to eat some or all of the extra costs in the interest of maintaining market share and consumer loyalty. Or they can pass the pain onto consumers. Looking forward to the potential tariffs coming in 2025, “the prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up,” says Philip Rothman, PhD, professor of economics at East Carolina University.Though a big motivation behind taxing imports is encouraging sales of American-manufactured goods, economists say tariffs don’t necessarily do that because when foreign-supplied products go up in price, American-made ones often follow suit. For instance, in his first term, Trump introduced a tariff on foreign-made washing machines, which increased their prices. It wasn’t long before domestic washing machines became more expensive, too. (If a foreign company can charge more, why can’t we?) Even though Trump didn’t enforce tariffs on dryers, perhaps you can guess what happened. “People think of washing machines and dryers as going together,” says Edelberg. “So when the dryers look cheap next to the washers, companies can get away with raising their prices too.”The U.S. imports trillions of dollars of goods each year—in 2023, nearly $4 trillion, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Given the huge volume of imports from overseas, this means tariffs are likely to affect items we purchase every day, from clothes and groceries to car parts and medical supplies. And, yes, beauty and personal care products.How could new tariffs affect the beauty industry specifically?Depending on the origin country of the goods, Americans could pay up to a significant premium—from 10 to over 60 percent—on imported skin care, makeup, and other personal care items. If you’ve been buying a $60 moisturizer that’s imported from Europe, for example, it’s reasonable to speculate you’d pay $12 more, or $72, for that item under a 20 percent tariff. “Evidence suggests prices would likely go up by the amount of the tariff,” says Rothman.But just because a product is manufactured in the U.S. doesn’t mean it’s totally American-made and immune from tariffs. Many non-imported items use foreign “input,” economics-speak for things like ingredients and packaging. Betsey Stevenson, PhD, professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan says that even if a product is manufactured domestically, sellers may end up paying (and charging) more due to tariffs on other parts of the supply chain.In a TikTok video, cosmetic chemist Javon Ford said beauty companies who use patented ingredients manufactured abroad could be affected because they can’t buy that exact ingredient at a lower cost elsewhere. A concealer, for example, could use a material that’s made by a European company—under tariffs, their options would be to pay more for that ingredient, or to reformulate.“The prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up.”For the most part though, beauty brands are sourcing the ingredients for products sold in the U.S. from American suppliers, says independent cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski. One exception are plant-based ingredients like coconut oil or palm oil—commonly used in foundation, concealer, lipstick, and more. Romanowski says products that contain those ingredients are more likely to see price spikes—the United States simply doesn’t grow that many coconut palms (which produce both oils). The same is true for products made with exotic ingredients, like a perfume with a note from vanilla only found in Madagascar. Source link

[oliviajoyice21]

Tariffs. They started a revolution—the one involving King George III, John Hancock, and a duty on tea (ok, sure, there were other grievances). And though tossing all your South Korean glass skin serums into Boston Harbor might not work this time, emotions are likely to run high as the Trump administration follows through on its promises to increase tariffs on imports to the U.S. To date, a 10 percent tariff has been imposed on Chinese imports, and prices are likely to go up at a similar rate; tariffs on EU imports are expected to follow suit, and proposed tariffs on Mexican and Canadian products (25 percent for each country) have been put on a temporary hold as policy negotiations proceed. (China has announced retaliatory tariffs on US imports.) In late 2024, we dug into just how steeper taxes on beauty imports could impact the industry and our own shopping carts.In this story:AccordionItemContainerButtonWhat is a tariff?Tariffs are taxes paid to a government on goods imported from abroad. They’re not particularly novel in our country, even in recent history: In 2018 and 2019, Trump—who nicknamed himself “Tariff Man”—imposed tariffs on $380 billion worth of certain products and materials imported from a variety of countries, including many from China. During his 2024 campaign, Trump said he’d enact even higher tariffs on imported goods. He has suggested putting in place 10 to 20 percent tariffs on all imports, and 60 to 100 percent tariffs on imports from China. Though no one can say for sure what will ultimately come to pass during the rest of this administration, many of the numbers it has put forth are nearly 10 times more than the tariffs Trump enacted in his previous term, according to Wendy Edelberg, PhD, senior fellow in economic studies at The Brookings Institution.The general thinking behind tariffs, on both sides of the aisle, is that taxing foreign goods will boost the American economy by increasing domestic jobs and sales on domestic-made products. They can also be used as leverage in negotiations with other countries. Over the past four years, President Biden kept most of Trump’s tariffs in place, discontinued others, and created some of his own. The tariffs under the Biden administration, however, were much smaller than what Trump has been suggesting in recent months, says Edelberg, who notes that these could be the first average double-digit tariff rates for all imports since the 1940s.Why should you care about tariffs?Because a higher cost of goods can mean higher prices when you check out. Sellers have a few ways of responding to tax increases on imported products, says Edelberg. They can try to negotiate with the supplying foreign companies for lower costs, but that’s not likely to fly. They can elect to eat some or all of the extra costs in the interest of maintaining market share and consumer loyalty. Or they can pass the pain onto consumers. Looking forward to the potential tariffs coming in 2025, “the prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up,” says Philip Rothman, PhD, professor of economics at East Carolina University.Though a big motivation behind taxing imports is encouraging sales of American-manufactured goods, economists say tariffs don’t necessarily do that because when foreign-supplied products go up in price, American-made ones often follow suit. For instance, in his first term, Trump introduced a tariff on foreign-made washing machines, which increased their prices. It wasn’t long before domestic washing machines became more expensive, too. (If a foreign company can charge more, why can’t we?) Even though Trump didn’t enforce tariffs on dryers, perhaps you can guess what happened. “People think of washing machines and dryers as going together,” says Edelberg. “So when the dryers look cheap next to the washers, companies can get away with raising their prices too.”The U.S. imports trillions of dollars of goods each year—in 2023, nearly $4 trillion, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Given the huge volume of imports from overseas, this means tariffs are likely to affect items we purchase every day, from clothes and groceries to car parts and medical supplies. And, yes, beauty and personal care products.How could new tariffs affect the beauty industry specifically?Depending on the origin country of the goods, Americans could pay up to a significant premium—from 10 to over 60 percent—on imported skin care, makeup, and other personal care items. If you’ve been buying a $60 moisturizer that’s imported from Europe, for example, it’s reasonable to speculate you’d pay $12 more, or $72, for that item under a 20 percent tariff. “Evidence suggests prices would likely go up by the amount of the tariff,” says Rothman.But just because a product is manufactured in the U.S. doesn’t mean it’s totally American-made and immune from tariffs. Many non-imported items use foreign “input,” economics-speak for things like ingredients and packaging. Betsey Stevenson, PhD, professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan says that even if a product is manufactured domestically, sellers may end up paying (and charging) more due to tariffs on other parts of the supply chain.In a TikTok video, cosmetic chemist Javon Ford said beauty companies who use patented ingredients manufactured abroad could be affected because they can’t buy that exact ingredient at a lower cost elsewhere. A concealer, for example, could use a material that’s made by a European company—under tariffs, their options would be to pay more for that ingredient, or to reformulate.“The prediction is pretty unambiguous, and it’s that prices would go up.”For the most part though, beauty brands are sourcing the ingredients for products sold in the U.S. from American suppliers, says independent cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski. One exception are plant-based ingredients like coconut oil or palm oil—commonly used in foundation, concealer, lipstick, and more. Romanowski says products that contain those ingredients are more likely to see price spikes—the United States simply doesn’t grow that many coconut palms (which produce both oils). The same is true for products made with exotic ingredients, like a perfume with a note from vanilla only found in Madagascar. Source link

[whatsthepointofthisbloganyway]

i'm gonna use this post to recommend reuseable period products - cloth pads, menstrual cups and disks, that kind of thing.

they're better for your health bc they are literally just cloth or medical-grade silicone, they're better for the environment because they cut down on waste significantly, and they're typically better choices economically because they last fucking forever (typically upwards of 5 years if cared for properly) and only have to be bought once.

you can wash cloth pads with unscented detergent in washing machines and hang dry them (I chuck mine in the dryer even though you're not supposed to and they're still fine). you can wash menstrual cups/disks with unscented antibacterial soap or washes - literally just in the sink, dry them with a non-linting towel or paper towels, and use them again immediately. they're also ridiculously comfortable - you don't get that ungodly paper pad rash and you can wear a cup/disk for twelve fucking hours and not feel a goddamn thing.

cheap pads

my favorite cup

my period is back again and id like to take this moment to remind everyone with a uterus to avoid using tampons at all costs, if you can. a recent study was conducted with 14 different popular brands of tampons, revealing that every single one of them contained toxic metals such as lead, arsenic, and more.