Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Airport workers in Phoenix, Charlotte describe dangerous conditions during extreme heat.</li><li>They joined fast-food and farm workers this week in demanding employers provide water, AC, and rest.</li></ul>Cecilia Ortiz walks 10 to 15 miles a day for her job at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, pushing people in wheelchairs to their gates and carrying luggage.She loves her job, but it comes with risks, especially when temperatures reach triple digits for months in Phoenix. Ortiz said she sweats through her thick polyester uniform on jet bridges that aren't always air-conditioned. Access to cold water and rest breaks aren't guaranteed. Some of her colleagues who clean airplane cabins, transport luggage on the tarmac, or work as curbside agents have reported dizziness, nausea, and vomiting on the job — symptoms of heat exhaustion.Ortiz this week is joining workers in the airline, fast-food, and farming sectors in 13 cities to demand that employers provide education and training about the symptoms of heat exhaustion, develop a plan of action for getting employees medical attention, and ensure that employees have access to water, shade, air conditioning, and rest breaks. On Tuesday there were demonstrations at airports in Phoenix and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.qcnews.com/charlotte/service-workers-at-charlotte-airport-protest-for-heat-protection/">Charlotte, North Carolina</a>, and on Thursday workers plan to take a coordinated drink of water and share it across social media. Several labor unions are organizing the actions.Scorching heat is becoming more common in the US and around the world. Scientists have found that the climate crisis is causing more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting heat waves. Federal data indicates that each year <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/36-work-related-deaths-due-to-environmental-heat-exposure-in-2021.htm">dozens of workers in the US die from heat exposure</a>. This summer, a sanitation worker for the city of Baltimore died from hyperthermia, or overheating, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/07/15/usps-worker-heat-stroke-death-wendy-johnson/74414304007/">whether a postal worker's death in North Carolina was related to the heat</a>.There are no national standards to protect indoor and outdoor workers. The Biden administration in July <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bidens-heat-standards-workers-water-shade-rest-2024-7">proposed rules for employers with workers exposed to temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit</a> or higher, but it could be years before they take effect. The rules could also be scrapped if former President Donald Trump wins the election in November.Some states and cities have enacted their own policies, including California and Phoenix. This fall Maryland is expected to become the sixth state to adopt heat protections for workers. Meanwhile, Florida and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-extreme-heat-construction-crews-lose-breaks-water-2023-6">Texas have blocked such protections</a> at the local level.The Phoenix City Council in April unanimously passed an ordinance requiring all city contractors and subcontractors to develop heat-safety plans for outdoor workers, including at construction sites and airports. The ordinance also requires access to rest, shade, water, and air conditioning. By 2025, closed-cab vehicles, like those that move airport baggage, must have AC.Ortiz described the ordinance as a big win but said she still hadn't seen her employer, Prospect Airport Services, make changes. The company has more than 8,500 employees at 26 airports around the US and has contracts with airlines to provide passenger services, baggage handlers, and gate agents."The ordinance took effect in April, and we're in August now, still fighting for our basic human rights to a break and water," Ortiz said.She and other airport contract workers tried to deliver a copy of the Phoenix ordinance to their supervisor on Tuesday, but he wouldn't leave his office, Ortiz said. Last August, Ortiz and 10 other employees filed a complaint with Arizona's occupational-safety authorities, who opened an investigation and conducted an on-site inspection, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/09/06/phoenix-excessive-heat-airport-workers/">The Washington Post reported</a>. A spokesman for the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health told Business Insider they could not immediately provide information about that investigation.Unifi Aviation, the parent company of Prospect Airport Services, told BI in a statement that it had a heat-illness-prevention program that takes effect when temperatures exceed 80 degrees, adding that managers are encouraged to continuously check for signs of heat stress or illness among employees."All outdoor workers are provided with extra breaks, quick access to unlimited water, Gatorade, cooling towels and popsicles," the company said. "When possible, misting stations are also set up at the airports in partnership with airport or airline officials. Employees are also told not to sit or loiter in jet bridges for their own safety and that of those around them."In California, farm workers are especially vulnerable to extreme heat. Lourdes Cardenas is a farm worker who lives in Fresno, California, where it has reached upward of 105 degrees Fahrenheit this summer. She said even though the state has a heat protection law, companies don't always follow it. Last summer, while working in tomato fields without shade, she had a headache and vomited. She had to drive herself home to rest."Many workers don't say anything when they feel bad because they are afraid they will be fired, or because they earn so little that they feel they have to take risks to get a paycheck," Cardenas said during a press conference on Monday hosted by labor unions, including United Farm Workers.Fast-food workers at Waffle House and Starbucks told BI that AC units at some locations were broken for weeks last summer, causing the restaurants to be hotter than 80 degrees."We know that the planet is getting hotter and hotter every year, and we're seeing skyrocketing conditions for workers that people may not always think of when they think about the heat," said April Verrett, the president of the Service Employees International Union, which is helping organize this week's rallies. "Folks on jet bridges or in the kitchen, where temperatures can exceed 110 degrees — they're making these demands that it's time for employers to act now."

Airport, farm, and fast-food workers rally for better heat protections

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new law proposed by Germany will limit which solar producers are reimbursed when energy prices fall.</li><li>A renewable supply glut has caused prices to often fall into negative territory.</li></ul>An overload of solar power in Germany has piled up costs on the government, prompting a new draft law that would limit subsidies for the country's industry players, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-28/germany-to-cut-some-solar-farms-off-subsidies-amid-oversupply">Bloomberg</a> reported.The outlet cited fresh plans to restrict which producers will receive subsidies when energy falls below a fixed price. Given how often wholesale power prices have dropped into negative territory, this has been an issue for the state.The government has previously estimated that German renewable subsidies would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-29/germany-s-climate-transition-costs-to-spiral-as-subsidies-double">reach $21.6 billion this year</a>.That's as the country's solar buildout has brought so much renewable energy online that wholesale power prices have frequently fallen below zero. This trend is especially evident during the <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/solar-panel-supply-german-electricity-prices-negative-renewable-demand-green-2024-5">sunny summer months</a> and has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-29/germany-s-climate-transition-costs-to-spiral-as-subsidies-double">ongoing throughout Europe</a>.However, since German producers are guaranteed to receive a minimum strike price, the government is responsible for covering the difference in prices. This so-called "feed-in tariff" reimburses renewable companies for contributing to the public grid.The new draft law seeks to limit which solar producers are required to sell their output to electric exchanges and, by extent, who is eligible for feed-in tariffs. Currently, plants with 100 kilowatts of capacity are required to participate. By the start of 2027, this will drop to 75 kilowatts.Also implemented is an earlier law that allows the government to withhold payments for mid-sized and large solar projects, anytime wholesale market prices turn negative, Bloomberg said.This could trigger uncertainty in a market that has ballooned since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an event that caused Europe to search for alternatives to Moscow's energy supply.Meanwhile, analysts have noted this year that supplementary investments in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/solar-panel-supply-german-electricity-prices-negative-renewable-demand-green-2024-5">battery technology and the electric grid</a> are needed if renewable energy is to escape negative pricing.

Germany's government is making life more difficult for solar farms that it often has to subsidize

Sustainable Farm-to-Table Practices

Andrew Webber's forever war 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The E. coli outbreak cases linked to McDonald's have widened to include 75 people in 13 states.</li><li>The CDC said it expects the real number to be higher, and that it can take weeks to identify a case.</li></ul>The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-tied-quarter-pounders-2024-10">McDonald's E. coli outbreak</a> cases have increased to 75 people in 13 states as of Thursday, the US Centers for Disease Control <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/investigation-update-e-coli-o157-2024.html">said</a> in a Friday update.The CDC said it now has detailed information on 61 people who got sick, of whom 22 have been hospitalized. The one death, which was reported earlier, was an "older adult in Colorado," the health agency said.Michigan, New Mexico, and Washington are the most recent additions to the list of states where infected patients live. Colorado remains the epicenter of the outbreak, with 26 cases as of Thursday. In at least one <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2024/10/23/wisconsin-resident-contracted-e-coli-at-out-of-state-mcdonalds/75809518007/">case</a>, the infected person got sick from eating at a McDonald's in another state.<div type="image" title="A CDC map showing the states where cases of E. coli have been linked to McDonald's, as of October 24, 2024." height="553" width="737" msid="114596007" hostid="261" sizebytes="20192"></div>Officials say they <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-quarter-pounder-e-coli-outbreak-symptoms-states-2024-10">expect the real number to be higher</a> and continue to grow. Some infected patients may recover without testing, and it can take three to four weeks to confirm whether a case is part of the outbreak.The CDC reiterated that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-ecoli-outbreak-investigation-update-compared-chipotle-2024-10">slivered onions and beef patties</a> used in McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers are under investigation.McDonald's executives said in a briefing on Wednesday that the initial investigation points to contaminated ingredients, likely slivered onions, rather than the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-hasnt-overcome-e-coli-fears-2018-3">mishandling or improper preparation of food</a>.Taylor Farms, McDonald's regional supplier of slivered onions, has issued a recall of its product, which has affected <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-supplier-taylor-farms-recalls-onions-amid-e-coli-outbreak-2024-10">several other restaurant brands</a>.McDonald's also said the potentially contaminated ingredients have been pulled from its restaurants, and Quarter Pounders are off the menu in impacted areas during the investigation.If you are a McDonald's worker who wants to share your perspective, please <a target="_blank" href="mailto:dreuter@businessinsider.com">contact Dominick via email</a> or text/call/Signal at 646.768.4750. Responses will be kept confidential, and Business Insider strongly recommends using a personal email and a non-work device when reaching out

More cases reported in McDonald's E. coli outbreak

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sweden has dropped plans for 13 wind farms in the Baltic Sea due to security concerns.</li><li>Wind turbines could interfere with radar and slow Sweden's missile response, its army said.</li></ul>Sweden has quashed plans for 13 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea over concerns that they could impede its response to a missile attack.Sweden, which joined NATO earlier this year, shares a coast on the Baltic Sea with Russia."With war in close vicinity, Sweden finds itself in a serious security situation," Pål Jonson, Sweden's defense minister, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/PlJonson/status/1853393931876106541">wrote on X</a> on Monday.Jonson shared a graphic to illustrate how a cluster of wind turbines could impede the country's ability to detect incoming cruise or ballistic missiles. A recent study produced by the Swedish Armed Forces concluded that an extra minute could be added to the country's response time to an incoming missile due to the turbines, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/forsvarsmakten-vill-stoppa-planerad-vindkraft-i-ostersjon">Swedish national broadcaster SVT reported</a>.It said that the towers and their blades produce radar echoes and interference both in the air and underwater, making missiles and submarines in their vicinity harder to detect.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sweden-nato-alliance-new-ways-strike-russia-targets-kaliningrad-stpetersburg-2024-3">Sweden's accession to NATO</a> earlier this year has seen it step up its military readiness in the Baltic, including beefing up security around <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-both-eyes-crucial-baltic-island-gotland-sweden-army-chief-2024-5">the strategic island of Gotland</a>.Jonson, in his posts, said it was "important" to note Sweden's proximity to "heavily militarized Kaliningrad" — a Russian exclave that borders Lithuania and Poland and has a coastline on the Baltic Sea.Offshore wind power is a priority for Sweden's government, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.barrons.com/news/sweden-s-defence-concerned-by-planned-offshore-wind-power-c0a8c95f">Jonson told AFP</a>.The 13 wind farms would have been placed along Sweden's eastern coast, stretching from the Åland archipelago in the north to Öresund in the south, outlet <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://svenska.yle.fi/a/7-10066739">Yle reported</a>.The government did approve one farm, off Sweden's western coast, it said.Monday's decision is a blow to Sweden's renewable energy plans. A 2022 Swedish Energy Agency report <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/business/energy/swedish-power-demand-could-double-by-2035-amid-electrification-drive-idUSL8N3352RH">seen by Reuters</a> estimated that the country's energy consumption could double by 2035.Wind farms were seen as one of the major ways to plug that gap, Reuters reported.

A NATO country rejected offshore wind farms it said could slow its response to a Russian missile attack

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hurricane Milton's estimated damage to Florida's agriculture could go up to $2.5 billion.</li><li>That's according to estimates from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.</li></ul>Hurricane Milton singlehandedly wrecked as much havoc on Florida's agriculture as three other major hurricanes combined, according to new estimates from the state's agriculture department.Milton, a Category 3 hurricane that made landfall on Florida's western coast on October 9, has severely damaged the state's crops and farming infrastructure, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) said.The department on Thursday said that based on its initial damage assessment, the estimated total losses to the Sunshine State's agriculture industry now range "between $1.5 and $2.5 billion."The commodities affected by hurricane damage include animal products, citrus and non-citrus fruit farming, field crops, greenhouses, and vegetable farming, per the damage assessment.The FDACS said in its damage assessment that Milton created "major structural impacts" on cattle ranches. Separately, a majority of the citrus acreage in Florida was situated in counties hit by Milton, which means "significant production losses" from farmers are expected, per the FDACS.The FDACS added in its Thursday statement that three major hurricanes that hit the state in the last 13 months — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/before-after-satellite-photos-hurricane-helene-destruction-florida-2024-10">Helene</a>, Debby, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-idalia-first-severe-hurricane-hit-florida-big-bend-2023-8">Idalia</a> — caused more than $1.5 billion in damages combined.Florida's commissioner of agriculture, Wilton Simpson, urged the US Department of Agriculture to issue a disaster declaration for counties affected by Milton, which would hasten aid and assistance for impacted farmers.In a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://ccmedia.fdacs.gov/content/download/117392/file/secretary-tom-vilsack-letter.pdf">letter</a> to Tom Vilsack, the secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, on Thursday, Simpson said, "We are a major agricultural producer and exporter, with $8.88 billion in agricultural products sold annually as of the latest USDA agricultural census.""Agriculture makes up one of the largest portions of Florida's $1.2 trillion gross domestic product, and it is critical that this engine of our economy has the resources they need to continue to operate."He said that the hurricane had devastated livestock, nurseries, crops, and agricultural equipment and infrastructure."If immediate action is not taken, we are at risk of losing significant agriculture, aquaculture, and silviculture operations in this region due to circumstances beyond our farmers' control," Simpson added in the letter.Florida's agricultural industry is a major driver of the state's economy. It has around 44,400 farms and ranches, spanning over 9.7 million acres, per <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Florida/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/2024/FloridaAgriculturalOverview.pdf">numbers</a> from the Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service.In 2023, Florida accounted for 20% of the country's orange production, 34% of its watermelon production, and 28% of its grapefruit production, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.According to an October 10 note from analysts from Fitch Ratings, Hurricane Milton has resulted in an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-milton-insurance-fitch-50-billion-losses-2024-10">estimated $30 billion to $50 billion of insured losses</a> in Florida<a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.fitchratings.com/research/insurance/hurricane-milton-effect-on-global-re-insurance-ratings-likely-limited-10-10-2024">.</a>Before the hurricane made landfall, Moody's Analytics estimated that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-milton-crashing-into-trillion-worth-of-property-moodys-2024-10">$1.1 trillion worth of commercial property</a> would be exposed to dangerous hurricane winds.According to an estimate by Moody's Analytics on October 8, more than 235,000 commercial real estate properties in Florida had a greater than 50% chance of being exposed to wind speeds of at least 50 miles per hour.Milton came just days after Hurricane Helene hit Florida and other southeastern states, leaving more than <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-death-toll-asheville-north-carolina-34d1226bb31f79dfb2ff6827e40587fc">200 people dead</a>.In a report on September 30, Moody's Analytics projected the damage from Helene to be between <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/analysts-estimate-up-to-34-billion-damage-from-hurricane-helene-2024-10">$20 billion and $34 billion.</a>Representatives of Florida's Department of Agriculture didn't respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside business hours.

3 major hurricanes in the last 13 months did billions of dollars of damage to Florida's farmlands — and that was before Milton

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Greg Clement built a net worth of $70 million through real estate and software development.</li><li>He lives on a farm, and says farm work shows his sons delayed gratification.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Greg Clement, founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.freedomology.com/">Freedomology</a>. It has been edited for length and clarity.I grew up in a paycheck-to-paycheck family. Anything beyond the necessities, I needed to find a way to pay for on my own. When I was old enough to drive I bought a car, then covered gas and insurance. Later, I paid for college by working and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/student-loans/how-to-pay-off-student-loan-debt-fast">taking out loans</a>.My family worked in the construction industry, so I was handy. As a young adult I started finding <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-investing-how-to-profit-from-house-flipping-2024-5">old houses to flip</a>. It wasn't lucrative to start: my first flip earned me $600, after more than 100 hours of hard labor. But I learned quickly, and my next deal netted $40,000. I continued to build my real estate portfolio, and also created software to support others in the real estate business.I became a millionaire when I was 33, through <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-boost-value-your-property-home-flipping-real-estate-2024-8">real estate investment</a>. Today, at 50, my net worth is around $70 million. That comes with a lot of security. I have the financial freedom to spend my time doing what I want, with whom I want. But in many ways my life doesn't look how people think a multi-millionaire's would.<h2 id="adab7953-9d8b-4ae3-b731-77e270445670">I still go to work</h2>In addition to flipping real estate, I worked as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/financial-planner-tell-my-clients-focus-2024-04">financial planner</a> for seven years in my 20s, so I got to see behind the curtain into the lives of many high net-worth individuals. I was shocked that one of my richest clients still went to work. I thought, "I'm going to be different to you." I figured if I had enough money I wouldn't work.Now, I still work even though I could <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/retiring-early-thanks-to-realizations-2020-12">easily retire</a>, and I've realized a job is about a lot more than just money. I'm living a purpose-filled life that includes doing work I enjoy and am good at. I invest in real estate and run multiple companies, including a real estate investing course that uses software I developed. I've created a rhythm where work fits into a fulfilling day.<div type="image" title="Greg Clement and his wife smiling and looking at the camera." height="2869" width="2152" msid="114189570" hostid="261" sizebytes="594942"></div><h2 id="2c372aad-df42-4fcb-8868-aafd204df60b">I live on a farm, and teach my kids to think like farmers</h2>I live on a 150-acre apple orchard in Ohio. It's beautiful, but it's also a working farm property. My wife and I grew up here and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/married-high-school-sweetheart-relationship-stereotypes-2024-9">met during high school</a>, and both came apple-picking on the farm as kids. We purchased the farm to keep it from being developed.We also recognized the farm would be a tangible family business for that our three sons — who are now 16, 22, and 24 — could learn from. Many people today want instant gratification: to start something today and be making money tomorrow.Our sons have been forced to grow up thinking like farmers. They understand that when we plant trees, it will be three years until they fruit. You need to work hard and wait before you can harvest, and that's a lesson I want them to take into their lives.<h2 id="db5a1f13-f826-4498-b1eb-539a134fe13b">I didn't buy my kids cars</h2>I could have easily purchased my sons' first cars for them outright, but I wanted them to work toward that goal. When they were about 14, my wife and I explained that we would pay for half of their first vehicle, and they would be responsible for the other half. They would also have to buy their own gas.<h2 id="0d908be3-d04c-4ff0-9e75-2063a12a8e9b">I paid for college, and allowed my son to drop out</h2>I told my sons I would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-of-five-cant-afford-paying-college-kids-2024-9">pay for their college education</a>. My oldest graduated with a degree in business. My middle son enrolled in college and completed two years before realizing college wasn't for him.We had an honest conversation, without emotion. I wasn't frustrated and didn't feel like I had wasted the tuition, because he needed those years to understand this wasn't the path for him. As long as he continues moving forward, I have no problem that he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/college-professor-parents-stop-forcing-kids-into-college-2024-5">doesn't have a degree</a>.<h2 id="2a07d545-d8bb-4ca0-9f0d-b9fc1f4d2f1a">Money measures action, not worth</h2>I've learned that money isn't a currency of worthiness. Having money doesn't make you good, and some people earn money through some pretty bad means.For better or worse, money is attracted to action. There's no such thing as a million dollar idea, unless you take action on it. When my son dropped out of college, my biggest concern was that he keep moving forward, because action is the path to success. He took my real estate investing courses, and I gave him free access to our software (which normally costs $100 a month) so he could build his real estate portfolio.<h2 id="339a3dd3-5771-41a1-8426-e1f143a9ff7d">Health and relationships are just as important as money</h2>Later in my career I started coaching others about how to make money in real estate. I was surprised to see that some of my most financially successful students were failing in other areas of their life: they were out of shape, mentally unhealthy, or had marriages that were breaking down.My <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/multimillionaire-wont-leave-kids-cash-inheritance-2024-9">idea of wealth</a> is being able to do what you want, with whoever you want. But for that to work, you need to have good health and rich relationships. People associate money with freedom, but health and relationships are just as important.

I'm a multimillionaire and father of 3. I'll pay for my kids' college, but I didn't mind when my middle son decided it wasn't for him.

Look inside Jimmy Carter's peanut farm, where he grew up with no electricity or running water

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A University of Michigan study found that urban-farmed produce has six times the carbon footprint of conventional farms.</li><li>The study faced backlash from advocates and students, saying it overlooked broader environmental harms of industrial farming.</li></ul>Research <a target="_blank" href="https://l.businessinsider.com/u/click?_t=c8e10479a20f45bba5aad6c5f6fbb009&amp;_m=gKkE9A8NehnuDzRzdSau7uq09zqBFd0Sr&amp;_e=NR1opUQhz8M8yUJSUPdig3DFkL5V9rgD-5rPgW0GroA3pbpNmWwHXHGoo74aMXoja_anmr5pb3xh2lAililuTXgADjvTB3UukpAGOLG2SrF_kHfHX8zWICcHcKop4L0aKMXPonVY2xRp0XQZ64IarUuA1R8qw3q4PhAWCWLXY9G0Ydc33x8xgJlvwIMOIziP3Z-9UFI-oql6pfu6qQZ029n5vwVI8SKZfYQDpHggYmAQ4UKQidwQlNlDsWkZAuRowdkRGettNr8zhYW8J95CuNYB-Cw-9oK6upgD5EWEWS6iDszTxyLPdRKl875Oy0xrfCdQvujTUBTHwLNEkZzQUPamO9sHlTOsQ-4qdI45hc-8w4OddF1Nl87AQ7xMgakArmdYr9fCcdKuJiA_rugYKFOk-U9RjTT7RnXWsEZhTWR7O5EnVSqmCgZepdYmPbcW">out of the University of Michigan</a> sent shockwaves through the urban-farming and home-gardening community earlier this year.Fruits and vegetables grown on urban farms have on average six times the carbon footprint of produce from conventional farms, the study, which was <a target="_blank" href="https://l.businessinsider.com/u/click?_t=c8e10479a20f45bba5aad6c5f6fbb009&amp;_m=gKkE9A8NehnuDzRzdSau7uq09zqBFd0Sr&amp;_e=NR1opUQhz8M8yUJSUPdigyVBLt12lmLv8Kq9KF0cdQjoc2NlXgdVGSzgZOXMbm41vySv-6bNirXuVkKEe4zYtRkHu-IV1v-0W-C-yK4FbMXEzIDCy-JCwmYVkyCXPCIt2GwU70ZNcgMDFzgtobt0rzfExa7hjIiSLi_pcqLW2kO3pVFQcy7kUXs39I6Rq9wju-WZ0vlmecmINrxBN9ZlJ5IWP5OA4NsjW1Lcdyo2mGApareaYJhL08j0yXO26bFKkuoZpKWHf3GXRwKkOy8zXWmj-Kcrz1J0L6WBc62tiL4P3v0ro9hAQbfEHHc7kE_oV4DP2reIpebcW5qmhTJTl5SGFjtT9G7XfyABNejPDL36yWuOPnzr4CRUZtQ7yRsLaw9tRD6Q5rBum95o9X5wyvVfLtgRn8X0hgcDynU7SsN5GiVtwX7Hhsk4mjeU0PZLIyNOKWiVR8ho8NL8nP_KtJupdV9Nm8W6gMK_72cr67R_x7w6OxLbRRXv_bHKQhY-">published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Cities</a>, found.The backlash was swift. University of Michigan students organized a rebuttal letter, arguing that narrowly focusing on carbon emissions overlooked the broader environmental harms of industrial-scale farming such as biodiversity loss and water pollution. Some angry homesteaders on TikTok and YouTube circulated conspiracy theories about the government not wanting people to be self-sufficient. The research landed as cities including Detroit, <a target="_blank" href="https://l.businessinsider.com/u/click?_t=c8e10479a20f45bba5aad6c5f6fbb009&amp;_m=gKkE9A8NehnuDzRzdSau7uq09zqBFd0Sr&amp;_e=NR1opUQhz8M8yUJSUPdigxWxojJ8J5pQHuZpUrbvrUbrww7LkgQb0AoKMWISaksztKtNGWhZGbvGryiqPWhFFsNaqynonrY4jZWjZhw-pUXygoC1Auv-xnNPN7GXFHLkI2CdpXSvhXB65J1tq-Z7KNwMBrzEZeDJVuhbNpl1wQcXgx7t3XJKBmcOF4M2o9uCa8eQpctf2Vm6eOrxomO0Gzp72AUSDIcC7_kGXufuZOkPZ4a53ELdiw77soVlQrQLgIcfaMcckVhcpzwIN2IK3sXHOp2y_WBwNwwATroicweQP01heQnBSkyioVIyYhaKYUY_Cg2lsJcZ7tnqtHpYi8ABvbrVPPGavVaK6iAY6g-yusAyUHL2rTnUDi8Q5ln751TcAK2Xy9DpvP6b1qos-sp1bo2WuFLCi0n1JPwIWno%3D">Philadelphia</a>, and Washington, DC, increasingly invest in urban agriculture to promote sustainability and become more resilient to the climate crisis. The researchers told Business Insider that while the many social benefits of urban farming were well understood — such as improving access to fresh food in disadvantaged communities — some climate claims warranted more scrutiny."Urban agriculture is not a magical climate solution," Jason Hawes, a coauthor of the study and a doctoral student at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, said. "But there is evidence that with the right kind of planning and investments, it can be more climate-friendly. So we wanted to figure out what those interventions looked like."Hawes said that produce grown on 17 out of the 73 urban farms his team studied across five countries had lower carbon footprints than produce from conventional farms. The urban sites tended to have longer life spans, reuse waste for compost and building materials, reuse water, and maximize social benefits for their communities.The infrastructure used to build urban gardens matters a lot, Hawes said, because new materials come with their own carbon footprint. Choosing crops such as tomatoes or asparagus, which are typically grown in energy-intensive greenhouses and transported on a plane, respectively, also matters.<h2>Fury among urban farmers</h2>The headlines offended advocates of urban agriculture, according to interviews with a Detroit city official and other academics, as well as the letter circulated by University of Michigan students and shared with BI.These advocates questioned whether comparing the per-serving carbon footprint of produce from urban and conventional agriculture was appropriate, given the vastly different scale of these systems and the roles they serve in society.Mainly, they worried the study would let conventional agriculture — which <a target="_blank" href="https://l.businessinsider.com/u/click?_t=c8e10479a20f45bba5aad6c5f6fbb009&amp;_m=gKkE9A8NehnuDzRzdSau7uq09zqBFd0Sr&amp;_e=NR1opUQhz8M8yUJSUPdig22tyCNchXZAgdxwipimYVznOXFPGv5B5brtbrGUrJWehR9wef9PKiYCdUXXAUTzNCYnCgz5hBndgRonmOFmB8BZI1-3lB5d6Sx9aONB53xyVAKlJvXWlCjlPnSu7v9X7gCcNh3xGtMpUXVN47WmLbh2wFs0l_GI4jAPWh_pHeT7Ztm2dQTrnHg1HAWtXxEd-7j9o9KL7BxVH7ScfYjIGIec_OVLTdtt76ESASEzhfe_gQ9jq0qesHUUboO1ZbAeEC2XbWTtqDM8h-n7kl3tyPJrlQJtL8Y3N1OU6SdGlJeLKC46maN-qpJk3kfzcaBsz10HYy2wx0RZ6iDgFCzWUvQ%3D">globally accounts for about one-third of greenhouse-gas emissions</a> — off the hook and undermine a burgeoning movement to expand urban green spaces and promote food sovereignty, especially in communities of color burdened by pollution. "I thought the study took a lot of the onus off of conventional agriculture, which we are in the process of recreating," Tepfirah Rushdan, who last year became Detroit's first director of urban agriculture, told BI. "The reason for the shift is because industrial agriculture is a strain on our planet."Rushdan also argued that urban farms are a much more sustainable use of land than commercial or industrial development.The letter organized by students at the University of Michigan said the research addressed "critical research gaps" but should have been more nuanced by incorporating more of the environmental harms of conventional agriculture. The letter also alluded to the structural problems that can prevent urban farms from being more permanent, including commercial development and barriers to landownership.Hawes and his coauthor <a target="_blank" href="https://seas.umich.edu/research/faculty/benjamin-goldstein">Benjamin Goldstein</a>, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, said they're sensitive to the concerns, and were responding to them, but stood by the methodology."Our work does not lessen the many benefits that urban agriculture provides," Hawes said in an email. "We put one specific claim to the test with the best available data. This is not an indictment of the process as a whole. Instead, it is an indictment of the environment in which urban agriculture is forced to exist — with constant pressures on land tenure, with resource constraints, and with a constant back and forth about the 'true purpose' of the practice."Hawes and Goldstein said they had crafted policy briefs for city officials and the US Department of Agriculture that underscore how important urban agriculture is for sustainability and local food production. They also are working on a letter to Detroit farmers, many of whom reached out to Hawes to say they'd already adopted the best practices outlined in the study.Despite the controversy, the research led some urban gardeners to reevaluate their practices. Monica Fitzgerald, a backyard gardener in Boulder, Colorado, told BI that she didn't think the headlines were true at first. Part of the reason she grows her own food is to be more sustainable and improve local biodiversity.But after reading the main findings, she learned a few lessons and shared them on TikTok <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@colorado.monica/video/7328188157705424170?_r=1&amp;_t=8jiNGzWHC2d">to dispel other users' conspiracy theories</a>."Try to make things with materials you already have," she said. "Order fewer seeds online. Compost at home. Extend the lifetime of a raised bed, shed, or shovel. Not only does it save you money, it saves you carbon emissions."Are you a gardener or urban farmer who is finding ways to save money and reduce your carbon footprint? Reach out to this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:cboudreau@businessinsider.com">cboudreau@businessinsider.com</a>.

Gardeners are fuming about a study that found produce from urban farms has a high carbon footprint      

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Cat Jones eagerly left the family home at 17 and later bought a house 230 miles away with her husband. </li><li>After having a baby and leaving her husband, she was determined to make things work living on her own.</li></ul>Growing up in a family with four girls, I always preferred my own space. When I was 12, I chose to live in our converted garage instead of sleeping in the house. My free time was spent drawing or taking long walks in the countryside. Despite loving <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-millennials-people-are-homesteading-control-uncontrollable-food-feel-safe-2024-1">life on the farm</a>, I couldn't wait to spread my wings. So, at 17, I left home.My sisters and I have always taken advantage of the open-door policy at our parents' house in Tauranga — a city with a population of 140,000 people on the North Island of New Zealand. While I returned regularly to visit, I would never stay long.Eventually, I got married and bought a house across the country – 230 miles away. At the time, I was confident that it would be my forever home.As for my sisters, they all settled down nearby — my youngest still living at the family home and another right next door with her own family.<h2>I tried to live up to the single-parent superwoman ideal</h2>Shortly after giving birth to my daughter Cassie, my marriage fell apart, and I was left a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/single-mom-divorced-husband-laid-off-happy-raising-daughter-2024-3">single parent</a> on a tight budget with no physical support. Fiercely independent and proud, I was determined to make things work on my own. And in many ways, it did work.I started remodeling my house, made new friends, and focused on raising Cassie. I relished our relaxed schedule; waking, eating, playing, and napping in tune with our needs, not society's demands.<div type="image" title="Mother reading a book on coach with baby laying on her." height="1152" width="1536" msid="108750974" hostid="261"></div>Still, something was missing. My baby memorized her first book at six months. By the time she turned one, she knew which stories were associated with each picture in her nursery rhyme book and would eagerly babble at me to read her favorite rhymes. So when Cassie didn't start talking early, or even in line with other children her age, worry set in.I began to realize what was missing from our life: people. Some days we saw friends and acquaintances for an hour or so, but most days were filled with one-sided conversations with my baby. There were days when I barely spoke at all.Something had to change. After an extended trip back to the farm, surrounded by family and endless chatter, Cassie was on the verge of talking when we left. I knew the solution to our solitude was to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/multigenerational-homebuying-rises-pandemic-changes-american-family-2021-3">move back to the family home</a>.<div type="image" title="Young girl playing with calf on a farm" height="1868" width="2491" msid="108750975" hostid="261"></div><h2>Having a child in a household of adults brings everyone joy</h2>From being joined at the hip when living alone, it's now common for me to not know where my now two-year-old daughter is as she goes about her own life. On any given day, Cassie can be found helping her aunts feed horses, playing outside with the dogs, bringing the cows in for milking with her granddad or reading a book with her grandma.Farm life is notoriously stressful and persistent. Tired and grumpy parents have become the norm over the years. Now things are different. Cassie has a vivaciousness about life, dancing places instead of walking, and singing at any opportunity. Her attitude is infectious and has made a remarkable change in all of the adults on the farm. It's hard to be stressed when a child is ready to share her toys and offer cuddles.Because I am the provider for my daughter, the responsibility of raising a child is removed from everyone else, leaving only the joy of watching a young life grow.<h2>It works for us, but it might not be for everyone</h2>I have found a safe haven by moving back to my childhood home, but it took a while to make it work. There are trade-offs, and it takes a group effort to create a positive environment. Living in such close quarters with other adults requires communication, understanding, and patience.When I first arrived, I tried to be helpful by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/home-decor-tips-moving-in-husband-wife-house-blended-family-2023-10">organizing the living areas</a> to make room for our things. What I didn't realize was that I was also being obtrusive by changing things without asking first.Likewise, in an attempt to help take the pressure off me as a single parent, my family tried to step in when they perceived I might need extra support, even though I hadn't asked for it. I felt It caused confusion as my daughter saw my authority being undermined.With time and open communication, we've all learned to work as a cohesive unit.<div type="image" title="Young girl reading a book with grandmother on couch near a bowl of chips." height="1203" width="1604" msid="108750976" hostid="261"></div>In the US, almost 1 in 5 households are now <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/living-multigenerational-home-lessons-pateince-openness-death-2024-3">multigenerational</a>, with most finding the arrangement convenient and rewarding, a study from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/03/24/financial-issues-top-the-list-of-reasons-u-s-adults-live-in-multigenerational-homes/">Pew Research Center</a> found. The study, conducted in 2022, was based on two sources: data from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey and a survey of 1,548 US adults who live with parents, grandparents, or adult children or grandchildren.I have become closer with everyone in my family, and we're showing my daughter how to cohabit peacefully. It's taught me what kind of parent I can be, and have become comfortable with sharing the parenting load. It feels like a massive burden has been lifted off my shoulders.Living in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-living-with-parents-multigenerational-households-financial-benefits-2022-3">multigenerational family home </a>has been life-changing in so many positive ways. Although I do see us living in our own home again in the future, I'm not in any rush to change our current living situation. For us, the pros far outweigh the cons.Got a personal essay about living abroad or parenting that you want to share? Get in touch with the editor: <a target="_blank" href="mailto:akarplus@businessinsider.com">akarplus@businessinsider.com</a>.

I was starved for adult connection while raising my daughter as a single mom. Moving back to the family farm was exactly what I needed.

New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): <keyword id="19951944" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharti-Airtel" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharti Airtel" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Bharti Airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword> ("<keyword id="19896909" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Airtel" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Airtel">Airtel</keyword>") announced on Monday that it has begun re-farming its existing <keyword id="10952298" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mid-band-spectrum" source="Orion">mid-band spectrum</keyword> to accommodate the rapidly increasing traffic demand on its 5G network. According to an exchange filing, with a growing number of customers transitioning to 5G, Airtel is reallocating its mid-band spectrum to expand 5G services across the 1800, 2100, and 2300 MHz bands nationwide. The re-farming of the mid-band spectrum aims to provide customers with enhanced <keyword id="726530" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="browsing-speeds" source="Orion">browsing speeds</keyword> and improved <keyword id="2551158" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indoor-coverage" source="Orion">indoor coverage</keyword>. As data demand escalates, Airtel is accelerating its spectrum re-farming efforts to deliver an exceptional 5G experience to its users. Randeep Sekhon, CTO of Bharti Airtel, remarked, "As more customers pivot to our 5G services, we have re-farmed our mid-band spectrum which was being used for 4G services. With this, we are also ready to launch Stand-alone technology. This will mean that the <keyword id="2365216" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel-network" source="Orion">Airtel network</keyword> will be the first network in India to run on both stand-alone and non-standalone modes allowing us to deliver the best experience in the market." Airtel has successfully piloted the switch between standalone mode (SA) and non-standalone mode (NSA) modes on its 5G network in select circles, including Rewari, Chennai, and Bhubaneswar, with encouraging results. This capability will enable Airtel to introduce new innovative applications, services, and solutions through open APIs, differentiated connectivity, and service-based architecture. In collaboration with smartphone Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Airtel will push NSA and SA combined binaries with carrier aggregation functionality, further enhancing the 5G experience. Over the past year, Airtel has showcased the power of 5G with numerous use cases that have transformed the way customers live and conduct business. Airtel's 5G rollout has been one of the fastest in the country, now covering all 28 states and 8 union territories. (ANI)

Airtel accelerates 5G revolution by re-farming mid-band spectrum to meet surging demand, enhance browsing speed

Budget announcements for the <keyword id="22541837" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="marine-sector" source="keywords">marine sector</keyword> such as rationalisation of customs duties and financing facilities will help boost the country's India's <keyword id="20765822" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aquaculture" source="keywords">aquaculture</keyword> and <keyword id="20765821" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="seafood-exports" source="keywords">seafood exports</keyword>, <keyword id="22541838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MPEDA" source="keywords">MPEDA</keyword> said on Thursday. The <keyword id="181386" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Marine-Products-Export-Development-Authority" source="Orion">Marine Products Export Development Authority</keyword> (MPEDA) also said the Budget includes a range of strategic measures aimed at bolstering the competitiveness of marine products, with a particular focus on <keyword id="22541839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shrimp-production" source="keywords">shrimp production</keyword> and export. Various inputs used in the manufacture of shrimp and <keyword id="22526510" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fish-feed" source="keywords">fish feed</keyword> will now enjoy customs duty exemptions, it said adding a number of feed inputs such as mineral and vitamin pre-mixes, krill meal, fish lipid oil, crude fish oil, algal prime, algal oil are fully exempted from any import duty. Artemia and Artemia cysts which are key nutritional inputs in aqua hatchery were also fully exempted from any import duty. The Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on essential aquafarm/ hatchery inputs such as Vannamei and black tiger broodstock, polychaete worms, and fish/shrimp feed has been reduced to 5 per cent. Import duty for insect meal and single-cell protein has been cut down to 5 per cent. "These announcements made in the Union Budget 2024-25 are set to significantly enhance aquaculture and seafood export sectors," the authority said. It also said that the government has committed to providing substantial financial support to establish a network of <keyword id="22541840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nucleus-Breeding-Centres" source="keywords">Nucleus Breeding Centres</keyword> (NBCs) for shrimp broodstocks. "This initiative is anticipated to drastically reduce India's reliance on imported broodstock, potentially saving the industry up to Rs 150 crore annually," it said adding hatchery operators are expected to benefit significantly, with projected savings of 50 per cent on broodstock costs. About one lakh farmers will benefit from a 30 per cent reduction in shrimp seed costs. Further, it said the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will play a crucial role in facilitating financing for <keyword id="20342132" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shrimp-farming" source="keywords">shrimp farming</keyword>, processing, and export. "This intervention is designed to cover 80 per cent of project costs for farmers, accompanied by an interest subvention of up to 3 per cent," MPEDA said. It added that a total of 639 export processing units are expected to benefit from enhanced access to infrastructure development funds, enabling them to improve and expand their facilities through assistance from NABARD. DV Swamy, Chairman of MPEDA, said that the proposed measures will substantially lower production costs, elevate quality, and enhance the international competitiveness of Indian marine products. The marine products sector has been a vital contributor to India's export earnings, with seafood exports reaching an all-time high of over Rs 60,000 crore in the last financial year. The authority was established in 1972 under the Ministry of Commerce and it is responsible for the development of the marine products industry with a special focus on exports.

You Searched For "Farming" and got 13 results

Airport, farm, and fast-food workers rally for better heat protections

Catherine Boudreau

Germany's government is making life more difficult for solar farms that it often has to subsidize

Filip De Mott

Sustainable Farm-to-Table Practices

Andrew Webber's forever war

Sam Fellman,Ryan Pickrell

More cases reported in McDonald's E. coli outbreak

Dominick Reuter

A NATO country rejected offshore wind farms it said could slow its response to a Russian missile attack

Mia Jankowicz

3 major hurricanes in the last 13 months did billions of dollars of damage to Florida's farmlands — and that was before Milton

Aditi Bharade

I'm a multimillionaire and father of 3. I'll pay for my kids' college, but I didn't mind when my middle son decided it wasn't for him.

Kelly Burch

Look inside Jimmy Carter's peanut farm, where he grew up with no electricity or running water

Erin McDowell

Gardeners are fuming about a study that found produce from urban farms has a high carbon footprint

Catherine Boudreau

I was starved for adult connection while raising my daughter as a single mom. Moving back to the family farm was exactly what I needed.

Cat Jones

Airtel accelerates 5G revolution by re-farming mid-band spectrum to meet surging demand, enhance browsing speed

ANI

Budget proposals for marine sector to boost India's seafood exports, aquaculture: MPEDA

PTI

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides