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"They're not shortcuts": How weight loss drugs became the business of shame

Fat-shaming drove people to Ozempic. Now its competitors are using shame to try to lure them away

As New Year's resolutions kick into high gear, weight loss goals top many people's lists. Like clockwork, advertisements for weight loss programs and supplements are popping up on social media, ready to pounce on the demand. The weight loss drug market is exploding, with new products entering the scene to compete with big names like Ozempic. It is no surprise, considering the millions of people worldwide struggling with obesity, PCOS and diabetes. The medications' promise of weight loss without a complete lifestyle overhaul has sparked hope and controversy, and the market shows no signs of slowing down. Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and other GLP-1 drugs have transformed how obesity is treated and have corresponded with a 25% decrease in weight-loss surgeries. Sixteen new drugs are set to enter the market in the coming years, per Reuters, and analysts estimate the overall market could expand to $200 billion by 2031. There's an ongoing debate about how GLP-1 drugs fit into a comprehensive strategy for managing obesity, their potential side effects and costs.  The growing market also has revealed societal attitudes that include complicated layers of stigma and misunderstanding.  How shame boosted GLP-1 drugs Fat-shaming is not a new concept. "In western society, fatphobia and anti-fatness are so ingrained in how we think about body size, health and self-worth," said Katherine Metzelaar, dietitian and owner at Bravespace Nutrition. "There's this belief that being thin equals being beautiful, disciplined and healthy while being fat is often unfairly linked to laziness or a lack of self-control." "It all leads to this idea that fat people are somehow less deserving of respect or dignity," she said. "Diet culture plays a significant role in pushing this, too, making people believe that anyone in a larger body is just not trying hard enough, leading to the scorn and derision we see.” The use of GLP-1 drugs sparked the term "Ozempic shaming" to describe the negative perceptions faced by those who choose medical interventions for weight management. Some critics argue that using the drugs is akin to "taking a shortcut," overlooking the complex factors that contribute to obesity.  "Some people think weight loss has to be grueling to be 'real' or 'earned' and see things like surgery or medication as taking shortcuts," said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, chief medical advisor for Garage Gym Reviews. "This belief overlooks how tough those options are and ignores that everyone's journey is different. It's an outdated mindset that simplifies a very complicated issue." Joshua Collins, licensed clinical social worker at SOBA New Jersey, said "medications like Ozempic (Semaglutide) help address underlying metabolic and hormonal issues, such as insulin resistance and appetite regulation." "They're not shortcuts; they're tools — much like using medication to manage diabetes or high blood pressure," he said. "Criticizing someone for using Ozempic reflects a misunderstanding of weight science and reinforces harmful stereotypes about health and effort." "Criticizing someone for using Ozempic reflects a misunderstanding of weight science and reinforces harmful stereotypes about health and effort" GLP-1 competitors also use shame The rest of the weight loss-market has tried to capitalize on this criticism through a marketing approach that devalues GLP-1 medications. Advertisements tout over-the-counter supplements as “Nature's Ozempic," and warn that “GLP-1 meds are effective but come at a steep price." “My doctor thinks I am being scammed,” some ads say, with the taglines "This is NOT Ozempic, but Your Metabolism Will Love It," "Ozempic Power In a Capsule” and "Works 3x Faster than Ozempic." Dr. Michael Chichak, medical director at mental health clinic MEDvidi, said GLP-1 medications come with benefits and risks like any other treatments, but "fear-mongering tactics and misinformation are done to further a certain agenda." "The weight loss industry already preys on individuals, using fear and shame as they are known to be more emotional triggers as opposed to using scientific evidence when marketing their product," he said. "These companies begin by diffusing trust in the medical and pharmaceutical industry, advertising themselves as a safer option, highlighting how GLP-1 medications are more dangerous and encouraging using ‘natural’ alternatives." This can discourage people from seeking treatment altogether, experts said. Many patients may feel pressured to justify their treatment choices, which can lead to stress and feelings of inadequacy, affecting their overall well-being. Treating obesity as a moral failing rather than a medical condition has been "immensely harmful to patient care," said Dr. Rehka Kumar, chief medical officer at online weigh loss program Found. "The weight loss industry already preys on individuals, using fear and shame, as they are known to be more emotional triggers as opposed to using scientific evidence when marketing their product" "As a physician, I find it deeply troubling when patients are shamed for using evidence-based treatments, whether anti-obesity medications or bariatric surgery," Kumar said. "This stems from the persistent but incorrect view that body weight is a matter of willpower. Science shows that weight regulation involves genetic, environmental, hormonal and neurological factors. This bias results in inadequate care, with less than 10% of eligible patients being offered evidence-based medical treatments for weight management and insurance coverage for obesity treatment being denied at rates three to four times higher than other chronic conditions." Combating the stigma requires increased awareness and education about the legitimate medical purposes of these medications while providing evidence-based, personalized care that considers the patient's unique circumstances and goals and treats them with dignity, experts said. "We have the opportunity to reshape the culture and impact a realistic symbol of beauty which is based on healthier standards and body types, genetics, among other factors," said Max Banilivy, clinical psychologist and vice president of education, training & client/staff well-being at WellLife Network. "We need to teach children and families and the media to have accurate and healthy messages. Not all bodies are the same." Read more about this topic

Culture
Education
Health

How the new wildlife crossing over I-5 will help delicate Oregon ecosystem

The new crossing will be in southern Oregon in the Siskiyous, where the freeway bisects the home of an impressive list of flora and fauna

The terrain south of Ashland and stretching to the California border sits at an incredible intersection of ecological systems.Here, the ancient Siskiyou Mountains meet the volcanic Cascades, the high desert of the Great Basin, the Klamath Mountains and the oak woodlands of Northern California.Dubbed an “ecological wonderland” and home to an impressive list of flora and fauna, the area was designated as the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in 2000.Plowing through all that biodiversity is Interstate 5, which carries 17,000 vehicles per day. The four-lane interstate essentially severs the monument into two.Animals don’t have an easy time getting from one side of the road to the other. Due to its location, however, the area is a hotbed of wildlife activity and considered a “red zone” for vehicle collisions.“The traffic volume on most portions of I-5 would be considered to be a permanent barrier to wildlife movement,” Tim Greseth, executive director of the Oregon Wildlife Foundation, tells Columbia Insight. “The oddity with this particular location is it’s smack dab in the middle of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, which was established primarily because of the biodiversity of the region.”Now there’s good news, for wildlife and motorists alike.Artist's rendering of Oregon's first overcrossing for wildlife, proposed for just north of the California border.ODOTThe area will soon get a lot safer thanks to a $33 million federal grant to the Oregon Department of Transportation to construct a massive wildlife crossing over I-5 just north of the Oregon-California border.“The grant award will allow ODOT to construct a wildlife crossing over Interstate 5 in southern Oregon in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument,” according to the ODOT website. “This will be the first wildlife overcrossing for Oregon and for the entire stretch of I-5 between Mexico and Canada.”Announced in December, the grant award for the Southern Oregon Wildlife Overcrossing is the result of years of work and collaboration spearheaded by the Southern Oregon Wildlife Crossing Coalition, which formed in 2021 to push for animal crossings in the monument.ODOT will provide another $3.8 million in matching funds that will come from a pot of money created by the 2021 Oregon Legislature to support wildlife crossings across the state.Construction is expected to begin in 2028, according to ODOT.Overcross vs. undercrossEach year in Oregon, officials document about 6,000 vehicle collisions with deer and elk.Wildlife crossings are effective at reducing such collisions.Oregon’s six existing wildlife undercrossings—tunnels constructed beneath roads—have resulted in an 80-90% decrease in vehicle-wildlife collisions in impacted areas, according to ODOT and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.“There’s a real advantage to doing overcrossings versus undercrossings,” says Greseth. “Overcrossings get a lot more diversity of species use. If you think about an underpass—and think about even people and how we might approach something where we’re going underneath a busy road—each of us individually would probably approach that with some trepidation. Animals aren’t going to be different.”The proposed I-5 overcross will consist of soil, vegetation and landscaping elements to make the crossing feel safer to wildlife. It will include retaining walls and sound walls along its length to dampen interstate noise and shield wildlife from light on the road.Dense plantings of vegetation will offer cover from predators for smaller animals, while open paths along the crossing will give animals using the bridge the ability to see their destination, according to ODOT spokesperson Julie Denney.ODOT’s landscape architect and a multidisciplinary subgroup are planning which plants to use on the bridge. The team is “focusing on the plants that will help make the crossing the most attractive for the species we expect to utilize the crossing,” says Denney. Those species include deer, elk, bear, cougar, birds and even insects.Potential plants for the crossing include sugar pine, desert gooseberry, deer brush, Oregon white oak, dwarf Oregon white oak, rubber rabbitbrush, antelope bitterbrush and spreading dogbane.The structure will span northbound and southbound lanes, and have fencing stretching two-and-a-half miles in each direction and on either side of the interstate. The fencing will help funnel wildlife onto the bridge.“Our goal is to provide an environment for the crossing to be as natural as possible, hopefully in a way that the wildlife are unaware they are crossing a major interstate,” says Denney.Kendra Chamberlain is Columbia Insight’s contributing editor. As a freelance journalist based in Eugene, she covers the environment, energy and climate change. Her work has appeared in DeSmog Blog, High Country News, InvestigateWest and Ensia.Columbia Insight, based in Hood River is a nonprofit newsroom focused on environmental issues of the Columbia River Basin and the Pacific Northwest.

Animals
Climate
Energy

How Wildfire Smoke Exposure Affects Your Health

Smoke from a fire can have a dangerous impact on your physical and mental health, even from thousands of miles away.

Firefighters continue battling Palisades fire as flames rage across Los Angeles, California, United States on January 09, 2025. (Photo by Official Flickr Account of CAL FIRE / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)Wildfire seasons are becoming more and more devastating and damaging for everyone.Wildfires aren’t just dangerous for the people and wildlife living directly around the flames, but also for those nearby who are exposed to heavy smoke. And because smoke can travel long distances, even people thousands of miles away from the fires can feel their effects. Scientists are actively learning about the harms linked to wildfire smoke, but early findings suggest that wildfire smoke can have a seriously detrimental effect on our short and long-term health. Why breathing in wildfire smoke is harmfulWildfire smoke contains a mixture of gases, liquids and solid particles. What concerns scientists the most about wildfire smoke is the fine particulate matter (called PM 2.5), or small pieces of liquid and gas that can stay suspended in the air. The smallest particles are the ones that can get deepest into the lungs and cause annoying symptoms — like a cough or shortness of breath — in the short term and more concerning health problems down the road, explained Colleen Reid, an environmental epidemiologist and health geographer with the University of Colorado Boulder.According to Reid, no level of PM 2.5 is considered safe — but at higher levels, the health effects are clearly worse.“A study from Montana found that seasons with record-high smoke were followed by more severe flu seasons, adding to the growing body of evidence that wildfire smoke can make people more susceptible to viruses and infections.”How wildfire smoke immediately affects usThese tiny particles can get deep into our lungs and enter the bloodstream, at which point they can travel to other organs and cause widespread inflammation, Reid explained. One report found that teens living near wildfires have higher levels of inflammatory markers in their blood. Wildfire smoke can cause sore throats, a cough, watery eyes, congestion, headaches and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Smoke particles can also reach the brain and trigger cognitive issues. According to Rosana Aguilera Becker, an environmental health scientist with the University of California, San Diego, people who have asthma, respiratory illnesses or COPD are most at risk and have higher rates of hospital admissions due to smoke during wildfires. In areas close to wildfires, researchers have found a spike in inhaler refills among people who have asthma. Increases in visits to the emergency room for cardiovascular events and heart attacks have also been recorded in communities experiencing wildfires. What we know about the long-term health effectsThe effects don’t go away once the smoke clears. A study from Montana found that seasons with record-high smoke were followed by more severe flu seasons, adding to the growing body of evidence that wildfire smoke can make people more susceptible to viruses and infections. The long-term health consequences linked to wildfire smoke exposure are understudied, largely because this hasn’t been a big issue until recently. In the past, there would be a wildfire, smoke would shoot into the sky for a short period of time, then the clogged air would clear out. It wasn’t until the past few fire seasons that the air quality has been really bad over really large geographic areas for really long periods of time, Reid said.But there are some clues. Wildfire smoke is thought to be a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. And through her research, Reid has found that when pregnant people are exposed to wildfire smoke, there’s a greater risk of the baby being born early or at low birth weight. A study conducted on monkeys found that primates exposed to wildfires as infants had worse pulmonary functioning and immune functioning later on in life. This brings up the question of “what happens to children when they’re exposed to wildfire smoke when they’re still developing,” Becker said. Evidence looking at the long-term health effects of other types of air pollution suggests that harmful air can impact our respiratory health, cardiovascular health and neurological health. One study found that kids who grew up in areas with polluted air, like Los Angeles, go on to experience worse lung function as adults.“We could assume, based on what we know, that there are similar things with wildfire smoke,” Reid said, noting that we really need more research on wildfire smoke specifically. Allen J. Schaben via Getty ImagesPeople can experience the effects of wildfire smoke even from thousands of miles away.Does proximity to the wildfire matter?Scientists know the most about smoke exposure in communities that are close to wildfires. But what happens when that air travels thousands of miles, as it did this summer when the jet stream brought Oregon’s wildfire smoke to the East Coast? According to Reid, there can definitely be health consequences in these places, too. In the past, air pollution that traveled long distances was minuscule, but the fires in Oregon and Canada showed us that wildfire smoke can travel far and at really high concentrations. This is an area scientists will need to look into in the coming years. There may be differences in how fresh smoke and older smoke affects our health — but, again, no level of PM 2.5 is safe. Our behaviors also play a role. When a fire erupts in the West, people are aware of the fire and know to stay in. You can smell it and you can see plumes of smoke spilling into the air. On the East Coast, where there are no plumes or traces of a campfire scent, some people may not take the necessary steps to protect themselves from inhaling bad air, Reid said. Here’s how to protect yourself from wildfire smokeYou can gauge the quality of the air around you by checking your local air quality index (AQI). Reid recommends the app Smoke Sense, which provides an air quality map and recommendations for what you should or shouldn’t do. Air NOW is another tool that sends local alerts about AQIs. If PM 2.5 levels are high, the best thing to do is stay inside and limit your outdoor activities, Becker said. It’s OK for most people to exercise at lower PM 2.5 levels, as the benefits of exercise are thought to outweigh the risks. We Need Your SupportOther news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.If you can afford an air purifier — they can be pricey! — get one with a HEPA filter. Keep your doors and windows closed. Older homes and rental properties tend to be leakier and allow more air pollution in. You can also purchase a MERV-13 filter and put it in a box fan or your AC unit. Make sure you’re regularly cleaning your car filters as they can collect a lot of particles over time. (You can find a list of filtering products certified by the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America here.)If you do venture outside when the PM 2.5 levels are high, bring a mask. N95 masks are the gold standard because they filter all of the air that you breathe in. Though surgical masks are less effective, they’re ultimately better than having no barrier between you and the harmful particles in wildfire smoke.

Health
Pollution
Water

2024 was the hottest year on record, NASA and NOAA confirm

Weather organizations from around the world agree that the planet's average global surface temperature in 2024 could well have passed a crucial threshold meant to limit the worst effects of climate change.

Amid a week of horrifying wildfires in Los Angeles, government agencies in the U.S. and around the world confirmed Friday that 2024 was the planet’s hottest year since recordkeeping began in 1880.It’s the 11th consecutive year in which a new heat record has been set, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. “Between record-breaking temperatures and wildfires currently threatening our centers and workforce in California, it has never been more important to understand our changing planet,” Nelson said.Firefighters on Friday were battling to protect NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge from the Eaton fire, which has burned 13,690 acres and roughly 5,000 buildings thus far.Research has shown that global warming is contributing significantly to larger and more intense wildfires in the western U.S. in recent years, and to longer fire seasons.The devastating fires in Southern California erupted after an abrupt shift from wet weather to extremely dry weather, a bout of climate “whiplash” that scientists say increased wildfire risks. Research has shown that these rapid wet-to-dry and dry-to-wet swings, which can worsen wildfires, flooding and other hazards, are growing more frequent and intense because of rising global temperatures.Extreme weather events in 2024 included Hurricane Helene in the southeastern U.S., devastating floods in Valencia, Spain, and a deadly heat wave in Mexico so intense that monkeys dropped dead from the trees, noted Russell Vose, chief of the monitoring and assessment branch of NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.“We aren’t saying any of these things were caused by changes in Earth’s climate,” Vose said. But since warmer air holds more moisture, the higher temperatures “could have exacerbated some events this year.”Last year’s data also notes a step toward a major climate threshold. Keeping the average global surface temperature from rising 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels has long been seen as necessary to avoid many of the most harrowing climate impacts.NOAA pegged 2024’s global average surface temperature at 1.46 degrees C above its preindustrial baseline, and NASA’s measurements put the increase at 1.47 degrees C. In 2023, NASA said the temperature was 1.36 degrees C higher than the baseline. Considering the margin of error in their measurements, “that puts the NOAA and NASA models comfortably within the possibility that the real number is 1.5 degrees,” said Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies.Calculations from other organizations passed the 1.5-degree mark more clearly.Berkeley Earth and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service both said the planet warmed to slightly more than 1.6 degrees C above pre-industrial times in 2024. The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization said the increase was 1.55 degrees C and the U.K. Met Office, the country’s weather service, measured an increase of 1.53 degrees C.Although 2024 probably marks the first calendar year in which the average temperature exceeded the 1.5-degree threshold, it doesn’t mean Earth has passed the crucial target set in the Paris Agreement, Vose said.That describes “a sustained, multi-decade increase of 1.5 degrees,” something that’s not expected to occur until the 2030s or 2040s, the scientists noted.“For a long time, the global mean temperature changes were a bit of an esoteric thing — nobody lives in the global mean,” Schmidt said. “But the signal is now so large that you’re not only seeing it at the global scale … you’re seeing it at the local level.”“This is now quite personal,” he said.The oceans, which store 90% of the planet’s excess heat, also recorded their highest average temperature since records began in 1955.The Arctic has seen the most warming, which is concerning because the region is home to vast quantities of ice that stands to melt and raise sea levels, Schmidt said. Temperatures there are rising 3 to 3.5 times faster than the overall global average, he added.The only place where average surface temperatures have cooled is the area immediately around Antarctica, and that’s probably due to meltwater from shrinking ice sheets, Schmidt said.A year ago, NOAA predicted there was only a 1 in 3 chance that 2024 would break the record set in 2023, Vose said. Then every month from January to July set a new high, and August was a tie. As a result, Friday’s declaration came as little surprise.The longer-term trends are no better.“We anticipate future global warming as long as we are emitting greenhouse gases,” Schmidt said. “That’s something that brings us no joy to tell people, but unfortunately that’s the case.”Times staff writer Ian James contributed to this report.

Climate
Government
Water

Los Angeles Wildfires Trigger Air Quality Warnings and Health Concerns

By Alison Withers, Dawn Chmielewski, Andrew Hay and Hannah LangLOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Business was brisk at Teddy's Cocina in Pasadena as wildfire...

By Alison Withers, Dawn Chmielewski, Andrew Hay and Hannah LangLOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Business was brisk at Teddy's Cocina in Pasadena as wildfire evacuees ate lunch and passersby ducked indoors to escape from the brown, smoky air blanketing the city."It's not breathable," said Dulce Perez, a cook at the restaurant, as an eye-watering haze hung overhead on Thursday about two miles (3.2 km) away from one of the multiple fires burning around Los Angeles. "We just try to stay indoors."This week, as the wildfires raged and smoke billowed across Los Angeles, officials issued air quality alerts, schools canceled classes and scientists warned about the dangerous - even fatal - consequences of wildfire smoke.All around the United States' second-largest city, residents worried about air that has, at times, turned lung-burning from the ash, soot and smoke emanating from fires that have destroyed 10,000 structures.Air purifiers were sold out at some big-box stores, according to interviews with employees at four businesses. Some residents were taping windows to keep the smoke out of their homes. And Los Angeles officials urged people to stay indoors in areas where smoke was visible.While conditions improved on Friday, an air quality alert remained in effect until the evening and dangerous particulate matter remained around four times World Health Organization guidelines.At the Pasadena Convention Center, which has been converted to a temporary shelter, aid workers from Sean Penn's global humanitarian organization, CORE, were handing out N95 masks on Friday.Emergency response programs manager Sunny Lee said the homeless were particularly vulnerable to bad air."There was no place for them to go inside, and so they were suffering even more outside with the poor air quality, without any kind of masks," said Lee. "So, we pushed out N95 to our partners that reached those communities. We're distributing as many as we can."Fanned by fierce winds and fueled by vegetation bone-dry after a long period of little or no rain, the Los Angeles fires broke out on Tuesday and have relentlessly burned more than 34,000 acres (13,760 hectares), or some 53 square miles (137 sq km). Neighborhoods have turned to ash in some parts of Los Angeles.Wildfire smoke typically carries with it noxious gases and particulate matter that make it more toxic than normal air pollution. Not only do wildfires burn plants, brush and trees, but also buildings, houses and cars that contain plastics, fuels, metals and a host of chemicals.Studies have linked wildfire smoke with higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac arrests as well as weakened immune defenses.Environmental health scientists and doctors warned that particulate matter posed a hazard to people with preexisting lung and heart conditions as well as the elderly and children.Carlos Gould, an environmental health scientist at the University of California San Diego, said the concentration of fine particulate matter in the Los Angeles area reached alarming levels between 40 and 100 micrograms per cubic meter earlier in the week before declining to around 20 on Friday.The WHO recommended maximum is 5 micrograms per cubic meter."The levels of wildfire smoke we've seen in LA these past few days imply between a 5-15% increase in daily mortality," Gould said. Chemical byproducts from the fires, particularly those stemming from burned man-made materials, penetrate deeper into the lungs and can even enter the bloodstream, said Dr. Afif El-Hasan, a spokesperson for the American Lung Association."If you're working harder to breathe and your body is being challenged that way, it can also put a strain on the heart. And that's why you see an increase in heart attacks," said El-Hasan.Even well outside of the immediate fire zone, residents complained about the smoke. With winds blowing wildfire smoke out to sea, customers at the Potholder Cafe in the coastal community of Long Beach declined to sit outdoors.Manager Veronica Gutierrez said she bought an air purifier for her home, but it has made little difference."We definitely have the smell of burning," said Gutierrez.For some people across Los Angeles, the risks will not end when the fires are put out, experts warned.Justin Gillenwater, burn director at the Los Angeles General Medical Center, expected long-term health impacts from smoke inhalation among people with respiratory conditions and allergies."This is going to be something that we're going to be looking into for not just weeks, but really years," he said.(Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles, Alison Withers in Copenhagen, Denmark, Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico, Hannah Lang in New York; editing by Paul Thomasch and Sandra Maler)Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

Business
Health
Pollution

Republicans Plan Deadly Cuts to Government as L.A. Fires Spread

House Republicans have begun devising plans to slash health care and environmental protections as wildfires engulf Los Angeles County. The GOP is aiming to cut $5.7 trillion from the budget over the next 10 years, and is considering cuts to important government services like welfare, climate protections, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act to get there. They then want to use that money to pay for Trump’s draconian immigration plans and tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, according to Politico. These potential cuts are “not intended to serve as a proposal, but instead as a menu of potential spending reductions for members to consider,” one GOP source told Politico. But the specific policies on the list, such as Joe Biden’s beta version of the Green New Deal, electric vehicle tax credits, the  Affordable Care Act, and even food stamps, seem like cruelly ironic things to cut while the country experiences yet another horrifying climate disaster. “The Republican ‘menu’ cuts food and health care for low income people to put more money in the pockets of the rich,” said Aaron Fritschner, deputy chief of staff to Representative Don Beyer. “Even the item names are dystopian: $490B Medicare cut= ‘Strengthen Medicare For Seniors.’ Cutting food for low income people= ‘Ending Cradle-To-Grave Dependence.” The viability of these cuts remains to be seen, as Republicans have already experienced infighting over budget reconciliation. Speaker Mike Johnson has thus far agreed to $2.5 trillion in cuts. 

House Republicans have begun devising plans to slash health care and environmental protections as wildfires engulf Los Angeles County. The GOP is aiming to cut $5.7 trillion from the budget over the next 10 years, and is considering cuts to important government services like welfare, climate protections, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act to get there. They then want to use that money to pay for Trump’s draconian immigration plans and tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, according to Politico. These potential cuts are “not intended to serve as a proposal, but instead as a menu of potential spending reductions for members to consider,” one GOP source told Politico. But the specific policies on the list, such as Joe Biden’s beta version of the Green New Deal, electric vehicle tax credits, the  Affordable Care Act, and even food stamps, seem like cruelly ironic things to cut while the country experiences yet another horrifying climate disaster. “The Republican ‘menu’ cuts food and health care for low income people to put more money in the pockets of the rich,” said Aaron Fritschner, deputy chief of staff to Representative Don Beyer. “Even the item names are dystopian: $490B Medicare cut= ‘Strengthen Medicare For Seniors.’ Cutting food for low income people= ‘Ending Cradle-To-Grave Dependence.” The viability of these cuts remains to be seen, as Republicans have already experienced infighting over budget reconciliation. Speaker Mike Johnson has thus far agreed to $2.5 trillion in cuts. 

Government
Climate
Health

Access to Green Space May Help Reduce Kids' Screen Time

By Denise Maher HealthDay ReporterSATURDAY, Jan. 11, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Want to help your child cut back on their screen time?Make sure you...

By Denise Maher HealthDay ReporterSATURDAY, Jan. 11, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Want to help your child cut back on their screen time?Make sure you live near parks and other open spaces where they can frolic outside.New research underlines the importance of green space access as an alternative to spending time on screens, described as watching television, playing video games, and non-school related computer use.“Neighborhood green spaces may draw children out of the house and give them an alternative space to engage in activities other than screen time," according to Ian-Marshall Lang, lead study author and researcher at University of Michigan's (U-M) School of Kinesiology.Published last year in the journal Health & Place, the study was inspired by earlier findings on the differences in the effectiveness of community programming and policies by race and ethnicity. National research shows racial and ethnic inequities in green space availability, so Lang and the other authors suspected access to green space was a key factor behind the trend.While programs aimed at reducing time spent on screens are more likely to be successful in green, park-filled areas, the reverse holds. Programs are less successful in neighborhoods where children have less access to green spaces, described by the study authors as areas such as forests, shrubland, open spaces and grassland.“This raises the question of who has access to high green space. Both our study and national data show green space is less common in communities with higher Hispanic and Black populations," Lang stated.All kids in the U.S. spend a lot of time in front of screens, and the amount of time increases year after year. About two-thirds of 6–17-year-olds exceed the recommended daily limit of 2 hours, authors noted.Too much time online increases the risk of childhood obesity while sedentary habits established early in life can persist into late childhood and adulthood, research shows. This emphasizes the need for childhood interventions to reduce and eliminate excessive screen time trends.What's more, there are significant racial and ethnic differences in who exceeds this limit, with African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino children the most likely to exceed time limits.“These unfair differences in green space access might explain why community programs and policies are less effective in reducing screen time among different racial groups. To address screen time inequities, we need solutions that create fair, just and healthy environments for all communities,” to Lang explained.The U-M study suggests that simply increasing the intensity of community programming may not be a solution.In other words, they've learned what doesn't work to reduce screen time. Short of green space, problems will likely persist. Other features that strengthen programs cannot compensate for the absence of opportunities for outdoor play.In background notes, the authors explained that environmental justice data consistently demonstrates people of color have lower access to greenspace and other urban vegetation.Research shows that in the U.S., greenspace inequities are rooted in decades of systemic racism.“Simply increasing the intensity of screen-time reduction programs may not be effective in environments that do not support behavior change," Lang explained.On the positive side, spending time in nature has been linked to stress relief as well as to better mental health.“This work is particularly important for organizations that have the responsibility and power to make equitable investments in green spaces to support the health of children,” Lang concluded. “Our findings provide evidence-based support for initiatives like the 10-Minute Walk Program that calls on city mayors to address inequities in green space access by ensuring that everyone in U.S. cities has access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk of their home.”UC Health offers families ideas and inspiration to get outside and explore nature.SOURCE: University of Michigan, press release, Jan. 6, 2025Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Health
Forests
Nature

Puerto Rico Natural Resources Chief Shelves Investigation Targeting Governor's In-Laws

Puerto Rico’s new natural resources secretary has shelved an investigation into allegations of illegal construction in a protected area on the island’s southwest coast

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico’s new natural resources secretary has shelved an investigation into allegations of illegal construction in a protected area on the island’s southwest coast, sparking an outcry.The administrative order published late Thursday comes after Gov. Jenniffer González, who was sworn in last week, called the investigation that began under the previous administration “political persecution.”The investigation targeted alleged violators, including González’s in-laws, who are accused of illegally cutting mangroves and expanding and remodeling a platform or dock at their home at La Parguera, which was designated a natural reserve in 1979 and is known for its bioluminescent bay.González and her in-laws — José Vargas and Irma Llavona — have denied the accusations.On Thursday, González named Waldemar Quiles as Puerto Rico’s new natural resources secretary. The new governor said that the investigation was part of a “political process” that occurred last year before her party’s primaries, in which she beat former Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, who was seeking a second term. Pierluisi has previously denied that it was an alleged political attack.Quiles's first administrative order was to shelve the investigation and, among other things, legalize the presence of homes in La Parguera via a fee that owners must pay every five years.“That is illegal,” said Pedro Saadé, a Puerto Rican attorney and expert in environmental law, who noted that there’s a required procedure to grant concessions on public domain assets.“How are you, as your first act, going to exempt from scratch and in a broad way, a whole line of illegal uses of public domain assets?” Saadé said of the secretary’s move.In a phone interview, he said that he worried that the order would set a precedent and roll back protections for other areas in Puerto Rico as it struggles with a growing number of illegal developments.On Friday, the president of the Sierra Club's Puerto Rico chapter, Hernaliz Vázquez called on officials to rescind Quiles's nomination as natural resources secretary and criticized his order.“This action is a direct affront against environmental protection and justice," Vázquez said. “It is unacceptable that the (natural resources) secretary ... whose mission should be to safeguard our natural resources, uses his position to benefit the governor’s in-laws.”Vázquez added: “Retroactively legalizing constructions that have negatively impacted a protected nature reserve is not only irresponsible, it is illegal.”The first structures were built in La Parguera around the 1960s, with fishermen living in ramshackle houses that have largely been replaced by high-end homes that environmentalists say must be removed.The investigation, which proposed a $25,000 penalty against González’s in-laws, was led by former natural resources secretary Anaís Rodríguez. She told WKAQ radio station last year that the investigation against González’s in-laws should continue under the new administration.On Friday, Puerto Rico Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz wrote on Facebook that the Senate will ask Quiles to explain his administrative order. He wrote that remedies to avoid “selective prosecution” require “caution, transparency and firmness so as to avoid falling into what could appear, be perceived or in effect be a selective benefit or privilege.”A spokesman for Puerto Rico’s Natural Resources Department didn't return a message seeking comment.In written statements provided to El Nuevo Día newspaper on Friday, Quiles said that his administrative order had been prepared by the previous administration and that it recognizes the acquired rights of those with homes in La Parguera and establishes responsibilities with which they must comply.Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Resources
Nature

Chained Monkey Among Latest Wildlife Rescues in Costa Rica

Although Costa Rica is committed to protecting wildlife, unscrupulous individuals continue to violate the rules and insist on keeping wild animals as pets. The National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) rescued a white-faced monkey that was held in captivity in Jacó. The animal was tied with a chain around its neck, which caused serious injuries, […] The post Chained Monkey Among Latest Wildlife Rescues in Costa Rica appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Although Costa Rica is committed to protecting wildlife, unscrupulous individuals continue to violate the rules and insist on keeping wild animals as pets. The National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) rescued a white-faced monkey that was held in captivity in Jacó. The animal was tied with a chain around its neck, which caused serious injuries, according to SINAC personnel. “He no longer had any hair to protect him around the neck because of the chain. He had open wounds that must have caused him a lot of pain,” officials stated. The animal was taken to Zooave, located in La Garita de Alajuela, where it is receiving veterinary medical attention. SINAC emphasized that keeping wildlife in captivity is a crime and urges people to report any cases they know of. “For those who had this animal in captivity, the corresponding complaint was filed with the Public Prosecutor’s Office,” SINAC confirmed. Parrots, parakeets, turtles, snakes, and iguanas are among the wild animals protected by the Wildlife Conservation Law in Costa Rica.   On the other hand, a two-toed sloth cub was rescued in the canton of Upala during an operation involving the Public Force, local residents, and SINAC. The rescue occurred after the officers received information about the female sloth cub, which had been found abandoned by a local family. According to authorities, the animal was handed over to the officers, who, while feeding and caring for her, began searching for the mother in the vicinity. Despite their efforts to locate her, it was not possible. On Wednesday, they coordinated with the wildlife rescue center “Toucan Rescue Ranch” in Río Frío, Sarapiquí, to transfer the calf, where it is receiving the proper care. “The two-toed sloth is a species facing a population decline in Costa Rica, mainly due to the destruction of its natural habitat and illegal capture for keeping as pets,” environmental authorities highlighted. Keeping animals in captivity is a crime in Costa Rica, which carries monetary penalties and even a prison sentence. The post Chained Monkey Among Latest Wildlife Rescues in Costa Rica appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Animals
Conservation

Lynx on the Loose in Scotland Highlight Debate Over Reintroducing Species Into the Wild

Scottish environmental activists want to reintroduce the lynx into the forests of the Highlands

LONDON (AP) — Scottish environmental activists want to reintroduce the lynx into the forests of the Highlands. But not this way.At least two lynx, a medium-sized wildcat extinct in Scotland for hundreds of years, were spotted in the Highlands on Wednesday, raising concerns that a private breeder had illegally released the predators into the wild.Two cats were captured on Thursday, but authorities are continuing their search after two others were seen early Friday near Killiehuntly in the Cairngorms National Park. Wildlife authorities are setting traps in the area so they can humanely capture the lynx and take them to the Edinburgh Zoo, where the captured cats are already in quarantine, said David Field, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.The hunt highlights a campaign by some activists to reintroduce lynx to help control the deer population and symbolize Scotland’s commitment to wildlife diversity. While no one knows who released the cats, wildlife experts speculate that it was either someone who took matters into their own hands because they were frustrated by the slow process of securing government approval for the project, or an opponent who wants to create problems that will block the reintroduction effort.“Scotland has a history of illicit guerrilla releases,” said Darragh Hare, a research fellow at the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, citing releases of beavers and pine martins. But doing it right, in a way that everyone can have their say, is important.“If there’s going to be any lynx introduction into Scotland or elsewhere, the process of doing it the right way, even if it takes longer, is the most important thing,” he added.Lynx disappeared from Scotland between 500 and 1,300 years ago possibly because of hunting and loss of their woodland habitat.Efforts to reintroduce the cats to the wild have been underway since at least 2021 when a group calling itself Lynx to Scotland commissioned a study of public attitudes toward the proposal. The group is still working to secure government approval for a trial reintroduction in a defined area with a limited number of lynx.Lynx are “shy and elusive woodland hunters” that pose no threat to humans, the group says. They have been successfully reintroduced in other European countries, including Germany, France and Switzerland.Supporters of the reintroduction on Thursday issued a statement deploring the premature, illegal release of the cats.“The Lynx to Scotland Project is working to secure the return of lynx to the Scottish Highlands, but irresponsible and illegal releases such as this are entirely counterproductive,” said Peter Cairns, executive director of SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, a group of rewilding advocates that is part of the project.The issues surrounding the potential reintroduction of lynx were on display during a Scottish Parliament debate on the issue that took place in 2023.While advocates highlighted the benefits of reducing a deer population that is damaging Scotland’s forests, opponents focused on the potential threat to sheep and ground-nesting birds.“Lynx have been away from this country for 500 years, and now is just not the time to bring them back,” said Edward Mountain, a lawmaker from the opposition Conservative Party who represents the Highlands.Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Activism
Forests
Extinction

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