6 Things You Need To Know Today (January 23, 2018)
1. Glitter lattes are the new unicorn lattes—but are they safe?
Glitter lattes (literally, glitter on a latte) is the latest trend in Instagram-worthy morning brews, but food safety experts are not endorsing it. "This is putting something in your body not designed as food. I can’t recommend it,” says Donald Schaffner, a professor of food science at Rutgers University. Best to just stick with an almond latte. (Daily Coffee News)
2. The U.K. has created a minister for loneliness.
To address what Prime Minister Theresa May called "the sad reality of modern life," the United Kingdom has created a new government appointment. While it's unclear as of yet what Loneliness Minister Tracey Crouch will do to combat the widespread loneliness, the urgency of the issue is real. Half a million Brits over age 60 say that in a week they talk to only one person or none. Loneliness is correlated with dementia, heart disease, and depression. (CityLab)
3. Farmers need better mental health care.
A recent study shows that farmers aren't getting the mental health help they need to deal with their stressful jobs. Farmers tend to have a suicide rate that's three to five times higher than other jobs, potentially because they spend so much time alone. Psychologists are working to encourage rebuilding community structures and de-stigmatizing mental health care. (SC Times)
4. Will pay-to-drive models solve traffic jams and urban pollution?
The proposed plan suggests that cars pay $11.52, trucks $25.34, and taxis $2 to $5 when driving in traffic below 60th Street in Manhattan. This could raise $1.5 billion each year to help fix the current subway infrastructure problems and, hopefully, help make travel more eco-friendly by shifting the masses to public transport. (Inhabitat)
5. What you need to know about Amazon Go, Amazon's cashier-less store.
On Monday, Amazon opened its first ever cashier-less store in Seattle. It acts as a minimart (complete with Whole Foods options!), and all you have to do is grab your item and walk out of the store—it uses artificial intelligence to charge your account. Welcome to the future. (mindbodygreen)
6. Cape Town, South Africa, could run out of water this year.
The city is in the midst of a record-breaking drought. Residents and visitors are being asked to drastically cut down on their home consumption in order to prevent a "day zero" when the taps shut off completely. (mindbodygreen)
Emma Loewe is the Sustainability and Health Director at mindbodygreen and the author of Return to Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us. She is also the co-author of The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide To Ancient Self Care, which she wrote alongside Lindsay Kellner.
Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She's spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.