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America’s fast casual restaurants are almost universally struggling. But a few chains are betting on one universally beloved fried finger food to draw customers back into booths: the humble mozzarella stick. Over the past year or so, the fast casual sector has faced a chilling effect as inflation and rising menu prices continue to drive consumers away. Last year, chains including Red Lobster, Tijuana Flats, Buca di Beppo, and BurgerFi all sought bankruptcy protection. Others, like Dine Brands (the owner of Applebee’s and IHOP) and Darden (the owner of Olive Garden) have recently reported lackluster financial results. Amidst this dreary environment, Chili’s, the fast casual restaurant known for its margaritas and appetizers, is having a shockingly good year. The brand saw a 31% jump in sales in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, alongside a nearly 20% increase in traffic. Chili’s parent company, Brinker International, raked in total sales of about $1.3 billion in the second quarter of 2025 compared to about $1.1 billion in 2024. A good portion of Chili’s success can be attributed to several viral appetizers—most notably, its fried mozzarella sticks—which have boosted the restaurant’s visibility in the cultural zeitgeist. Now, TJI Friday’s seems to be taking a page out of Chili’s book to revitalize its dying brand by putting mozzarella sticks front and center. Chili’s pioneers mozzarella stick-Tok In a January earnings call, Chili’s CEO Kevin Hochman laid out a few of the changes driving Chili’s recent success, including simplifying the menu, upgrading ingredients, and, crucially, investing in a social media marketing campaign centered around appetizers. Back in April 2024, Chili’s partnered with a number of social media influencers to market its Triple Dipper, an appetizer plate that lets customers choose three different dishes (the mozzarella sticks, which were added to the menu in 2002, being one of the most popular choices.) The collabs took off, spawning dozens of TikToks with viewership in the hundreds of thousands of influencers sampling both the Triple Dipper and the mozzarella sticks by themselves. The mozzarella sticks developed a kind of cult online fanbase both for their chunky rectangular form factor and for their cheese-pull properties, a measurement of how stretchy melted cheese is that’s a sought-after characteristic for food-based content creators. The appetizer was so popular among young fans on TikTok that the company introduced two new flavors in 2024, Nashville Hot Mozz and Honey Chipotle Mozz, which, predictably, spawned another wave of Chili’s mozzarella stick reviews. In all, Hochman told investors, interest in the Triple Dipper doubled year-over-year, jumping from accounting for 7% of total sales to 14%. TJI Friday’s goes stick-for-stick with Chili’s It looks like TJI Friday’s is now hoping to dip into the mozzarella stick craze in an effort to revive its business. It’s been a rough several years for TGI Friday’s. In early 2024, the chain abruptly shuttered a series of underperforming stores. Then, in December, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing financial difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic as the main factor driving the decision. Today, the company has whittled down its presence in the U.S. to just 85 stores, compared to 600 during its heyday in 2006. Now, under CEO Ray Blanchette, who previously ran the company between 2018 and 2023 and returned again in January, TJI Friday’s is taking a bold risk to turn its fate around. In an interview with CNN this week, Blanchette shared that the company is planning to change 85% of its menu to streamline the available options and attract both Gen Zers and millennials to the chain. To start, the company is paring back on the more out-there items on the menu (at one point, oddly, that included sushi), introducing a new signature sauce, and revamping its cocktail menu. According to Blanchette, the new drink offerings include seven signature cocktails from the company’s early days, now with “eye-catching” colors, and they’re intended to entice Gen Zers who “love speciality beverages.” Chili’s has used a similar strategy for some time, debuting a margarita of the month in neon hues that often take off on socials (like last summer’s Berry Shark Bite Marg and this month’s ‘90s-inspired Radical Rita.) And, of course, TGI Friday’s is introducing its own spin on the saucy mozzarella sticks. Blanchette says that the brand has offered mozzarella sticks for decades, and actually helped turn them into a staple on menus across the industry. On its new menu, the chain will go stick-for-stick with Chili’s through flavors including Franks RedHot Buffalo, Garlic Parmesan, and Whiskey Glaze. “For us, mozzarella sticks are not a trend,” Blanchette told Fast Company. “[. . .] When we saw others leaning into sauced versions, we knew it was time to remind everyone who did it first—and now we’re raising the bar.” To spread the word, TGI Friday’s has a new socials team that’s already jumping on mozzarella stick-Tok, including with a video posted this week of mozzarella sticks getting tossed in sauce to George Michael’s sensual “Careless Whisper.” Chili’s may have paved the way, but TGI Friday’s will be the first testcase of whether mozzarella sticks are enough to save America’s fast casual restaurants. View the full article

Steel has long anchored modern construction, but its environmental toll is staggering: producing a single ton emits nearly two tons of CO2. Steel is also complex to manage in construction processes, which prevents smaller contractors and projects from using it. A material invented at the University of Maryland will soon offer a radical alternative. Called Superwood, it has a 50% greater tensile strength than steel and a strength-to-weight ratio that’s 10 times better. It’s lighter, tougher, and also locks away carbon. After seven years of development, the startup commercializing the technology will begin mass production this summer. “We’ve spent years perfecting our molecular reconfiguration process to maintain the extraordinary properties demonstrated in the lab, while making the process commercially viable,” Alex Lau—cofounder and executive chairman of InventWood—tells me over email. The company was founded in 2016 by Dr. Liangbing Hu at the University of Maryland, after he developed the first transparent wood as a better insulating alternative to glass. “What began as pioneering academic work evolved through several breakthrough iterations,” Lau says. Hu turned his research into Superwood in 2017. The work was documented in a 2018 Nature paper that revealed a method of transforming ordinary wood into a substance rivaling titanium alloys. The discovery held the promise of a sustainable, CO2 negative construction material that was better than steel, but it was far from commercialization. During this time, Dr. Hu focused on further refining the technology and bringing manufacturing costs down. Then, in 2021, Lau recognized that the technology had reached sufficient maturity for full-scale commercialization. “At that point, I helped pull together a complete team to kick off the manufacturing process,” he says. “Since 2021, we’ve been intensely focused on creating a scalable process and ensuring the quality standards necessary to bring SuperWood to market.” How Superwood is made Making Superwood is a complex process, but it requires two primary steps. First, lignin—a polymer that stiffens wood and gives it its brown hue—is partially dissolved using food-grade chemicals. As Orlando J. Rojas, a professor at Finland’s Aalto University, noted back when the discovery came out in 2018, the trick is to remove just enough lignin to maximize hydrogen bonding between cellulose fibers without compromising its structural integrity. Next, the wood is compressed at 150°F, collapsing its cellular structure into a dense matrix. The result is a material five times thinner than the original, but 12 times stronger and 10 times tougher. This molecular reconfiguration eliminates wood’s inherent weaknesses. Natural wood is porous and prone to rot, but Superwood’s tightly packed cellulose fibers create a barrier against moisture, termites, and fungi. Its Class A fire rating—achieved without chemical flame retardants—stems from its density, which starves flames of oxygen. Lab tests proved its ballistic resistance: A projectile pierced untreated wood, but it lodged halfway through a same-thickness Superwood block. Unlike steel or carbon fiber, it requires no energy-intensive smelting or synthetic resins. Initially, it took weeks to make a single plank of Superwood, but Inventwood’s team streamlined the process to just a few hours, enabling bulk production of the material. Lau tells me that the company’s first facility in Frederick, Maryland, will produce one million square feet of Superwood annually starting this summer, focusing initially on interior finishes for commercial and high-end residential projects. A second phase in fall 2025 will introduce exterior-grade panels for siding and roofing. He envisions structural beams and columns within a few years, pending certification. Their plan is to build “a larger facility that will scale to over 30 million square feet, enabling use in infrastructure and large developments,” Lau says. If you are wondering about how architects and crews can actually use this to build, you are not alone: If it’s stronger than steel, does it require special tools? According to Lau, contractors can cut, drill, and fasten Superwood with standard woodworking tools, though its density may demand adjusted techniques. “No specialized tools are required, making adoption straightforward,” Lau says. The material’s stability minimizes warping, and polymer coatings enable outdoor use without sacrificing aesthetics. Its compressed fibers deepen natural grain patterns, yielding finishes akin to tropical hardwoods. It can change everything Lau didn’t disclose information about price, thought he did say Superwood’s initial pricing will be “premium” but competitive with top-notch tropical hardwoods and hybrid woods, which are composite materials that combine wood with other materials like steel or concrete. This means that, pound by pound, it will be much more expensive than steel at this point, more than 10 times in fact: $12.50 to $25 per pound for Superwood as opposed to steel’s $1 to $2 per pound. But then you need to factor in other factors to understand its true cost. If Superwood’s offers 10x superior strength-to-weight ratio, a 10-pound beam could match the load-bearing capacity of a 100-pound steel beam, in theory effectively reducing its effective cost to $1.25 to $2.50 per pound when adjusted for performance. You also need to factor in its resistance to corrosion and rot, plus the fact that you can make a building entirely out of Superwood and eliminate the need for other structural elements and wall materials. Then there’s the economical and environmental cost of fire retardants, since the material naturally retards fire even if it’s wood. Since wood comes from the most effective living carbon sequestration system on the planet—trees!—it will actually suck CO2 out of the atmosphere (the material is made from wood from sustainable tree farms). Clearly, Superwood’s long-term value proposition narrows the gap with steel in relative and absolute terms. The company expects to achieve better economics as they scale up production too, Lau adds. Superwood, in theory, could extend beyond construction. Early research proposed applications in vehicles, aircraft, and furniture, leveraging its moldability and cost savings over carbon fiber. For now, InventWood is focused on buildings, however, where steel and concrete account for a massive carbon footprint, pollution, and economic bill. “We want to get to the bones of the building,” Lau says. He believes that Superwood can transform the construction industry. We will see when the first batches roll out this summer and companies start using them. View the full article

Gen Alpha, the youngest generation of active consumers in the market, are teetering on the onset of teen angst. For many of them, an unavoidable trigger of it will be those pesky hormonal-triggered breakouts. It’s a moment for the skincare industry to once again swoop in and offer tweens and teens a smorgasbord of problem-skin creams, gels, patches and facemasks treatments. That part hasn’t changed for generations of consumers. What’s evolved are the strategies brands are using today to reach the youngest of them. Previous generations of teens, for instance, would see ads for acne brands in glossy magazines, newspaper inserts, on TV during Nickelodeon commercial breaks and on the radio. None of this will effectively work with Gen Alpha, a fully digitally native cohort. They live and breathe the internet, gaming and social media. So in March, Switzerland-based Galderma, maker of skincare brand Cetaphil and Differin (a popular over-the-counter acne treatment sold in Walmart, Target, Ulta and on Amazon), for the first time took its acne brand to one of Gen Alpha’s most popular hangouts—the gaming platform Roblox. Roblox has about 98 million active daily users, with 80% of them below the age of 25. On average, users spent a total of 21.7 billion hours on the platform just in its first quarter this year, up 30% from a year ago. “The when, the where and the why of [our] effort is very rooted in data,” says Tara Loftis, global president of dermatological skincare at Galderma. “Acne impacts 85% of people between the ages of 12 and 24. Where are tweens and younger GenZers spending most of their time? The answer is gaming.” Loftis and her team partnered with marketing agency Dentsu and “dreamed up what it would look like for Differin to integrate directly into Roblox.” A novel approach for skincare Walmart, Fenty Beauty, Crocs, H&M, PacSun, Nike and e.l.f. Beauty are among dozens of major brands that have created their presence in the Roblox metaverse. However, Differin’s entry, according to industry experts, makes it one of the first brands in the acne-care category to now be on Roblox. It is a novel approach by skincare brands trying to connect with young consumers, says Larissa Jensen, senior vice president and global beauty industry advisor at market research firm Circana. “Cosmetics brands, such as e.l.f, have been turning to Roblox to reach a very specific younger demographic. That isn’t new. But, for skincare [brands], it’s a little bit more challenging to integrate skincare into a gaming platform,” Jensen says. “With makeup, you can engage with the brand through gameplay where you put makeup on your avatar. It’s harder to interact in the metaverse with skincare. If Galderma has success with this strategy, you can bet that other brands will be paying attention.” The Roblox activation for Differin involves three mini games (for players ages 13 and up) as part of the brand’s “Level Up Lobby.” In one game called “Foam Blaster,” the challenge is to use a blaster to clean hovering faces with Differin’s 10% benzoyl peroxide maximum strength foaming cleanser. Players in “Power Patch Splat” launch Differin power patches at the right moment to splat pimples. In “Zit Zapper,” the objective is to zap zits as they appear on hovering faces with Differin’s 10% Benzoyl Peroxide spot treatment. The goal with these roblox games, said Loftis, is to create brand awareness and educate “Gen Zalpa” (Gen Alpha and younger GenZers) about skincare through gamifying acne care and integrating Differin into that experience. Although players can’t buy Differin products on Roblox, they are able to upload their receipt for any Differin purchase to unlock virtual rewards in the games. “What we didn’t want to do was to have this look like ad necessarily, in the traditional sense,” says Loftis. “Two reasons for that. We are not able to target anyone under the age of 13, or to target people specifically that have acne. But what we can do is make that assumption about where 80% of acne sufferers are. They are Gen Zalpa and they’re on Roblox. Chasing the Roblox “Gold Rush” Clay Colarusso, head of TeenVoice, a teen market research and insights company, is very familiar with the “Gold Rush” of brands to the Roblox metaverse as they strive to capture the attention of the youngest shoppers and influence their future spending habits. Marketers trying to unlock the tween and teen markets and the billions of household dollars that they’re either influencing their parents to spend, or the dollars they’re spending directly, has been happening for decades, says Colarusso. “I’m a child of the 80s and I distinctly remember the toy and breakfast cereal commercials that would play one after another as I watched Saturday morning cartoons,” says Colarusso. “Kids back then would go to mom and dad and ask them to put the toy on the birthday wishlist.” The difference today, he says, is that the path to purchase is much shorter through digital marketing than it was with traditional media in the 80s. “If I’m on Roblox and I have an opportunity to buy, and maybe even have my parent’s credit card already preloaded in there, I can purchase immediately. Or, I can influence my parents to buy it for me,” Colarusso says. “It’s a marketer’s dream. But where it gets tricky is on the data side.” Brands have to be careful when they target young consumers. The Federal Trade Commission, through its Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), prohibits companies, websites and online services from collecting personal information of children under 13 without parental approval. “The concern is really less about brands marketing to this demographic, with certain obvious exceptions, and more about data collection and privacy concerns especially when dealing with consumers under 13,” Colarusso says. “This is why folks get really nervous when they think about marketing or how to market to kids, and rightfully so. They need to behave in a judicious and prudent way.” Roblox says on its website that the platform is “compliant with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) and other international regulatory standards.” For people 13 and older who are eligible to see ads, Roblox said ads “must be clearly and prominently disclosed using simple and understandable language.” “Hate to be sold to” According to Galderma, in less than 30 days after the Differin Roblox games launched, the Differin “Level Up Lobby” campaign (which ends on May 31) has attracted more than three million visits with more than 365,000 mini games and nearly 12,000 hours of brand engagement on the gaming platform. “We know that Gen Zalpha hates being sold to. These are games. If they struggle with acne, we hope to educate them about skincare through gaming that resonates,” says Loftis. “If not, it’s still a fun game.” So far, she says a fairly high number of people playing the games are “playing them completely.” “We went big on our gaming, which means we basically moved away 100% from traditional advertising for Differin,” Loftis says. “Gen Zalpha isn’t going to buy an acne patch because they see an ad. They’re going to buy it because they see a really compelling before and after result that their favorite gamer or TikToker talks about.” View the full article

A question I often get when I train editorial teams on the use of AI is, “Is using AI cheating?” Although it’s a yes or no question, it’s obviously not a yes or no answer. The short answer is sometimes, but the key to figuring out the long answer is using the tools with an open mind. If you’re a professional in a field like journalism, you’ll generally be able to tell when it’s speeding up drudgery and when your judgment and expertise are most needed. However, the recent viral story in New York magazine about how colleges and universities are struggling with rampant, unauthorized AI use from students got me thinking about what’s happening much earlier in the pipeline. After all, those college students who are using AI to cheat on essays and admissions interviews eventually get jobs in the workforce. How will entry-level reporters, editors, and interns regard the use of AI, and how can newsrooms guide them so they develop the critical skills good journalists need? Prioritize people, not just output This highlights an area of AI policymaking that often gets the short shrift. Newsroom AI policies are rightly concerned with the integrity of the information the publication is putting out and transparency with audiences, primarily. What AI might be doing to the skill-building of junior staffers is a tertiary concern, at best. Left unchecked, however, this problem has the potential to be existential: How do you produce competent senior staff when the junior staff is either replaced by AI or—as the New York piece suggests—replacing themselves with AI. You start with the first principles. Most AI policies begin with some kind of affirmation that humans remain at the center of what journalism is about. That lens needs to turn inward in a real way, with a commitment to balance innovation and efficiencies with professional development. In a newsroom, a healthy AI policy also ensures staff in entry-level or junior roles have opportunities to build core journalistic competencies. The policy should be clear to those workers even before they walk in the door. These days a lot of interviews happen over video conference, and many newsrooms that aren’t explicitly local have gone fully remote over the last few years. The fact is, if a candidate is on the other end of a video interview, hiring managers should be assuming they have some kind of AI helping them, even if there aren’t telltale signs like delayed answers and rote wording. And there are still ways to adapt the hiring process to this reality. Where possible, newsrooms should incorporate in-person interviews and testing. For remote workers, real-time teamwork exercises will reveal a lot more than “take home” ones like memos and writing tests. Why junior staff need their “reps” A good AI policy spells out exactly which tasks are allowed to be partially or totally done by AI, while still leaving room to experiment in noncritical areas. (The New York Times’s policy is a good example.) In selecting those tasks, however, efficiency and productivity shouldn’t be the only factors. How that mix of tasks changes between junior and senior staff should be taken into account. A good way to think about this: Just because AI can do a task doesn’t mean it should do it always, in every instance. Yes, an AI tool can now competently turn a three-hour school board meeting into a news story, but reporting and writing “rote” stories like this are a fundamental part of learning the ropes of journalism: taking good notes, finding the story in a sea of information, checking facts, and getting the right quotes. Newsrooms need to ensure this kind of foundational exercise, essentially “getting your reps in,” is still a priority for reporters just starting out. This approach runs the risk of emphasizing newsroom hierarchy and increasing frustration among junior staffers who know that AI could speed up their work. That’s why it’s important to have a clear path out. For instance, new hires might need to complete training modules that emphasize foundational journalistic skills before they gain broader access to AI tools. That would send the message that using AI is a privilege—one earned through demonstrating competence. How to future-proof journalism So, using AI might be cheating in some cases and not cheating in others—even for the same task. That might be confusing, but it also might be a sign of a thoughtful AI policy that doesn’t see increased output as the be-all and end-all of success. Because in the end, an AI policy isn’t just a rule book that allows or forbids offloading certain tasks to robots in the name of efficiency. It should be a map for how a newsroom preserves the integrity of its journalism and the trust of its audience as it navigates one of the most impactful technological changes in history. If you try to sail into the future without thinking about the long-term health of your staff, you risk arriving at the destination with a crew of nothing but robots. View the full article

Istanbul meeting between lower-ranking officials comes after Vladimir Putin snubbed Volodymyr ZelenskyyView the full article

Across the country, nonprofits are confronting a sudden and severe financial shock: federal funding they’ve long relied on is being pulled back—abruptly, and in some cases, entirely. In recent weeks, the The President administration’s spending cuts have triggered frozen contracts, rescinded grants, and stop-work orders across federal agencies. The moment has highlighted the financial vulnerability of many institutions, and underscored the importance of building more resilient, diversified funding models that aren’t solely dependent on federal dollars. Organizations that once built multi-year budgets around government commitments are now rewriting financial plans weekly just to keep up. Delays, backlogs, and revenue gaps have become routine. According to the Urban Institute, between 60% and 80% of nonprofits that rely on public funding would face serious financial shortfalls if that support disappeared. Due to resource constraints, many nonprofits have treated financial management as a day-to-day operational function, with less emphasis on its role as a strategic driver of mission impact. But in today’s environment, that approach is no longer sustainable. Volatility—from elections, markets, and geopolitics—has become a permanent feature of the landscape. Organizations that fail to adapt risk not only missing opportunities but also jeopardizing their ability to weather the next downturn. To meet this challenge, nonprofits must elevate financial strategy to a central pillar of leadership. That starts with three critical shifts: Investment oversight must be proactive, not passive In today’s climate, checking in on financial performance once a year just isn’t enough. Many nonprofits are now reviewing liquidity monthly or quarterly and running scenario planning exercises to stress-test how unexpected shifts—like a delayed government payment or a rescinded grant—would affect their ability to meet payroll or sustain core programs. Boards can support this work by ensuring there’s a clear investment policy aligned with the organization’s real-world cash flow needs and risk tolerance, and by revisiting that policy regularly. Investment committees, in turn, can work with advisors to shift more assets into more liquid investments, giving them flexibility when contract payments are late or major gifts don’t come through. Donor strategy must become a financial strategy. With once-reliable federal funding no longer a given, nonprofits must actively cultivate alternative revenue streams—and that responsibility shouldn’t fall solely to the development team. Donor engagement must be tightly integrated with financial planning. That includes segmenting and expanding donor bases to identify those with capacity to give more, using predictive analytics to anticipate giving patterns and gaps, and aligning fundraising calendars with financial forecasts. Finance and development teams, or external financial partners, should work together to build models that estimate how different donor strategies impact year-end liquidity and long-term planning. In short: Strengthening donor revenue is not just a development goal, it’s a financial imperative. Endowments must be treated as mission-sustaining tools. Endowments are more than rainy-day funds—they’re meant to ensure the perpetuity of the organizations. Over the past two decades, nonprofits have taken important steps to diversify their portfolios. In fact, average exposure to public equity and fixed income has dropped from 70% to 39%, while allocations to alternatives such as private equity and hedge funds have more than doubled. That shift can offer stronger returns, but diversification isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy. For organizations that depend heavily on government contracts or grants, an overly rigid or illiquid portfolio can create real vulnerabilities in times of stress. Take, for example, some of the nation’s most prestigious universities. Even institutions with multi-billion-dollar endowments have recently moved to sell private equity holdings to increase liquidity, citing political and financial uncertainty around federal funding. When organizations of that scale and sophistication reconsider their exposure to illiquid assets under stress, it’s a clear signal: Alternative investments must be approached strategically, with a careful understanding of both short- and long-term cash needs and risk tolerance. A tiered approach to liquidity—reserving some assets for near-term access while investing the rest for long-term growth—can help organizations stay resilient, especially those that rely heavily on government grants or contracts to fund operations. Ultimately, resilient philanthropic missions require resilient financial models. That means seeking expertise not only in investment performance, but in governance, risk management, and long-range planning. Advisors and teams that understand how to connect financial oversight to mission outcomes can help institutions build confidence internally, with donors, and with the communities they serve. The current crisis has made one thing clear: Static portfolios and static strategies are liabilities. Financial oversight must evolve from a compliance checkbox into a dynamic leadership function, one that safeguards today’s operations and secures tomorrow’s mission. View the full article

Adam Becker is a science journalist and astrophysicist. He has written for The New York Times, BBC, NPR, Scientific American, New Scientist, Quanta, Undark, Aeon, and others. He also recorded a video series with the BBC, and has appeared on numerous radio shows and podcasts, including Ologies, The Story Collider, and KQED Forum. What’s the big idea? Tech billionaires like to hype up delusional doomsday fantasies in which they are the saviors and overlords of civilization. Many people may just laugh or disregard these outlandish claims, but a closer look reveals the scary truth of how seriously, specifically, and consequentially these thought leaders are committed to their ridiculous visions for the future. They abstain from making meaningful choices to improve the here and now because of their faith in unreasonable techno-solutions. It is important that society stays aware that their nightmares and promised utopias are founded in fiction. Below, Becker shares five key insights from his new book, More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley’s Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity. Listen to the audio version—read by Becker himself—in the Next Big Idea App. 1. Tech billionaires have ludicrously implausible power fantasies about the future. Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and other tech billionaires have made surprisingly outlandish claims about what a good future for humanity should look like. Elon Musk has spoken repeatedly about the need to set up a colony on Mars. He has said that he’s going to put a million people on Mars by 2050 by sending one rocket launch a day for years, and that the colony needs to be self-sufficient, surviving even if the supply rockets from Earth stop coming. Musk contends that this is vital for the future of humanity, claiming that our species will go extinct if it doesn’t happen soon. He claims Mars is our lifeboat for civilization. This is all pure fantasy: Mars is too inhospitable to allow a million people to live there anytime remotely soon, if ever. The gravity is too low, the radiation is too high, there’s no air, and the Martian dirt is filled with poison. There’s no plausible way around these problems, and that’s not even all of them. Nor does the idea of Mars as a lifeboat for humanity make sense: Even after an extinction event like an asteroid strike, Earth would still be more habitable than Mars. Mammals survived the asteroid strike that killed the dinosaurs, but no mammals could survive unprotected on Mars today. Putting all of that aside, if Musk somehow did put a colony on Mars, it would be wholly dependent on his company, SpaceX, for supplies. That’s one feature that tech oligarchs’ fantasies have in common: they all involve billionaires holding total control over the rest of us. 2. AI isn’t going to be as good (or bad!) as the tech industry claims. Silicon Valley billionaires and thought leaders have been making wild promises about AI. They claim that AI will soon become superintelligent, far outstripping human intellect, and this will lead to a total revolution in human civilization—if these godlike AIs don’t destroy humanity first. Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, says that superintelligent AI is coming within the next four years. He also claims that once we have it, every product and service will halve in price every two years as AI takes over the economy. Bill Gates has made similar claims, suggesting that AI will free us for a life of leisure as it caters to our every need. Other industry leaders claim AI will revolutionize science, ushering in an unprecedented era of discovery and near-magical technology. There’s virtually no evidence for any of this: it is specious reasoning amplified by tech industry money and hype. These are narratives based on science fiction. They fundamentally misunderstand both the nature of intelligence and how current AI systems operate. Even calling something like ChatGPT “AI” is misleading; it’s a marketing term that’s gotten way out of hand. 3. We’re not colonizing space. Tech billionaires like Musk and Bezos have dreamed of colonizing space for decades. Despite their promises, it’s not happening. Musk’s dreams of Mars are modest compared to some of the other specious fantasies spun by tech billionaires and the think tanks they fund. Bezos doesn’t want to put a million people in space—he wants a trillion people living in a fleet of giant cylindrical space stations with interior areas bigger than Manhattan. He claims this is the best way to ensure future generations thrive. Otherwise, he warns, our species will “stagnate” on Earth. Yet such space stations would be staggeringly difficult and phenomenally dangerous to build. And Bezos’s concerns about “stagnation” are based on a mix of faulty reasoning and an attachment to long-discredited ideas about sociology and history. Others in the tech industry (or funded by tech billionaires) have advocated for a future beyond our solar system, pushing humanity to take over the galaxy or the entire universe. This is even more unlikely to work: the distances between stars are too great, and there’s little reason to leave the solar system. The impossible promise of an interstellar empire is held out as a shiny fantasy to justify the actions of tech billionaires. Musk has used the supposed need to colonize Mars as an excuse to ignore details like worker safety at SpaceX. Bezos has said that the pursuit of such a future is the most important thing he could be doing with his fortune, more important than addressing Earthbound problems here and now. 4. How Big Tech gets science wrong and distracts from present threats. Tech industry leaders often present themselves as scientific experts on everything from human biology to astrophysics to nuclear fusion. The truth is that they are business leaders, not scientists, and frequently get in far over their heads when discussing scientific concepts. They believe that their wealth makes them general experts on everything. Musk has repeatedly gotten facts about Mars wrong, even when he’s been publicly corrected. He has repeatedly claimed that Mars can be terraformed (made into a more Earth-like planet) by using nuclear weapons to melt the Martian ice caps. Musk contends this would beef up the Martian atmosphere enough to allow humans to live there, but this isn’t true: There aren’t nearly enough frozen gases in those ice caps to get the job done. When scientists pointed this out to him, he doubled down. He’s not alone in this. Altman has never given good justification for his claims about AI. Bezos’s ideas about space come from old plans from the 1970s that were later shown to be unworkable. These aren’t just careless mistakes about unimportant details. Getting these scientific facts wrong allows these tech billionaires to maintain faith in their power fantasies and gives them an excuse to ignore today’s problems. Altman has said that the AI systems he believes are coming soon will be able to solve global warming quickly and easily, and therefore, he’s not concerned about new AI data centers requiring huge amounts of power. Pushing humanity toward the impossible goals of tech oligarchs will lead to destructive consequences for everyone. 5. The racist origins of the tech industry’s core ideology. Underneath the bizarre proclamations of tech billionaires, there is an ideology that technology can solve every problem, even fundamentally social and political problems like strife in the Middle East or political polarization in the United States. This ideology of technological salvation stems from a toxic mix of misunderstood science fiction, fringe religious movements, and racist pseudoscience. The same online subcultures that spawned the ideas about AI that Altman, Musk, and the rest have swallowed also have connections with the American far-right and a troubling history of promoting scientifically discredited claims about fundamental differences in innate intelligence between different races. This goes hand in hand with their obsession with AI: They believe that AI can become godlike because they believe that intelligence is a single measurable trait corresponding to IQ, and that a sufficiently powerful AI would be able to simply dial up its IQ to an arbitrarily high number. But IQ has always been used for eugenics and institutional racism, and there’s little evidence that it measures anything real about people. It’s mostly just been used to say that some groups of people are inherently better than others. It’s no surprise that such stories are attractive to billionaires who want to justify their desire to remain in power over the rest of us forever. Recognizing the hollowness of these ideas is the first step to taking back our power. They want to set the terms on which we imagine the future, but the future isn’t theirs for the taking. The future is something we all build together. They want us to believe that their promised utopias and nightmares are our only option. But in reality, the future is open. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission. View the full article

Leaders today are stretched to the breaking point. Many managers enter their roles wanting to coach and care for their teams. But in today’s workplace, that vision is colliding with a lengthening list of competing pressures: performance metrics, shifting workplace norms, and the unrelenting emotional labor of guiding teams through crisis after crisis. As one manager told me, “I want to be an empathetic leader and support my team, but we still have to make the numbers. Mostly, I just stay later myself.” Another admitted, “Last year I ended up in the hospital.” Newly released workplace data from Gallup reflects this worrying reality. In 2024, global engagement declined for just the second time in the past 12 years. It fell in 2020, as the pandemic swept across the globe, and it fell again last year. Importantly, Gallup reports, the drop in engagement was not due to worker engagement levels. It was entirely due to declining engagement levels among managers. The rise and fall of manager engagement So why are managers feeling less engaged on the job? Gallup cites workplace disruption over the past five years due to the pandemic, a hiring boom and bust, workplace restructurings, supply chain challenges, and changing expectations around technology and flexible work. The political and social upheaval of recent years has likely also taken a toll, particularly as managers are often tasked to pull teams together through fractious times. In a 2024 survey by mental healthcare provider Headspace, 98% of employees reported that global events affect their mental health at work. According to a recent report by mental health benefits broker Lyra, 85% of human resources leaders agree that managers are “an integral part of our workplace mental health strategy.” Unfortunately, just 39% also agree that they provide those managers with resources to support mental well-being at work. The disproportionate stress that managers face, the report adds, is “due to high expectations for supporting workforce mental health paired with limited resources.” We can observe demographic differences in who is the most impacted, too. Notably, Gallup found the steepest declines in engagement among managers under 35 (down 5%) and female managers (down 7%). In my experience, these are also the managers most likely to absorb emotional labor—taking on additional responsibility for their team’s mental health while struggling to set boundaries for themselves. It’s a recipe for leadership fatigue. How managers can overcome leadership exhaustion So where does that leave today’s leaders, especially those torn between showing up for their teams and preserving their own capacity? The answer isn’t to dial down your empathy: It’s to practice that empathy in ways that are sustainable. That means setting boundaries, protecting your own energy, and modeling healthy leadership. Here are a few ways to start. Stop fixing and start coaching. It’s natural to want to help when a team member brings a problem to you, but jumping in with solutions can create dependency and drain your reserves. Instead, respond with curiosity: “What have you tried so far?” or “What do you think would help?” This approach empowers your team to develop resilience and creative thinking while also preserving your bandwidth. They may even come up with some great solutions that hadn’t occurred to you. Structure routines to preserve your own energy. There’s no rule that says good leaders need an open-door policy or a standing Monday meeting. If your current routines are depleting you, change them. Could you cluster one-on-ones into two days a week? Shift updates to asynchronous channels like email or Slack? Your energy is a finite resource—structure your week to protect it. Interrogate urgency. There are some emergencies, but not everything is an emergency. Preserve your energy for when you really need it. Start asking, “Does this need to happen now?” and “What’s the worst that happens if this waits?” Helping your team (and yourself) reset expectations around urgency can relieve pressure and improve decision-making. Pursue your own goals. Your identity is not just “the person holding everything together.” Leaders need renewal, too. Whether it’s training for a marathon, learning to play the piano, or pursuing a professional certification, make sure you have something on the horizon that’s just for you. These personal goals restore energy and remind you that your needs matter, too. Delegate and celebrate others’ strengths. Delegation isn’t just efficient—it builds trust and engagement. Maybe you’re not great at spreadsheets, or memo-writing, or icebreakers. Somebody on your team probably is. Hand over those responsibilities and praise mightily their superior expertise in the areas you despise, both to them and in front of others, so they’re recognized for that work. Identifying where others excel and delegating effectively can alleviate pressure and allow others to shine. Leading with presence and compassion isn’t easy, but it shouldn’t be unsustainable. Empathy isn’t a blank check on your energy or availability. By setting healthy boundaries, modeling sustainable practices, and protecting your own well-being, you can lead with strength and compassion over the long term. Start with one small shift—say no to a nonessential meeting, delegate one lingering task, or block an hour for something that restores you. Your team doesn’t just need you to care. They need you to last. View the full article

In 2020, following ferocious wildfires across Southern California, Jasmin Singer and her wife, Moore Rhys, decided they had had enough of Los Angeles. They packed their bags and moved to New York state. They debated between Ithaca and Geneva before finally picking Rochester, about a six-hour drive northwest from New York City. Rochester won out in part because of a more stable climate and progressive policies aimed at combating climate change, caused by the burning of fuels like gasoline and coal. “We were all kinds of nutty about climate,” said Singer about picking Rochester. ___ EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is a collaboration between The Associated Press and the Rochester Institute of Technology. ___ One of America’s first boomtowns and a former manufacturing hub, Rochester has captured the eye of some people looking to escape extreme weather events. Other midcentury industrial urban centers such as Buffalo, an hour’s drive from Rochester, and Duluth, Minnesota, have garnered attention in recent years for being known as climate havens. That is because they are less likely to experience events fueled and exacerbated by climate change, such as droughts, hurricanes, and wildfires. Far from coasts, cities like Rochester, Buffalo, and Duluth don’t face hurricanes or storm surges. At the same time, they are connected to large lakes, giving them an ample water supply and helping insulate against drought impacts. Still, while anecdotes abound of people who are moving to such cities for climate reasons, there isn’t yet evidence of a large demographic shift. “There hasn’t been a clear signal that people are leaving to climate [friendly] regions, or regions with an abundant water resource,” said Alex de Sherbinin, director and senior researcher at the Center for Integrated Earth System Information at Columbia University. That is expected to change in coming decades, as climate will increasingly be a factor driving migration. It already is in many places around the world, particularly developing nations that lack the infrastructure and resources to withstand climate shocks. Each year, natural disasters force more than 21 million people from their homes, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Rochester has many draws Originally from New Jersey, Singer said Rochester also appealed to her for a few reasons, even though she had never visited the city before the move—affordable housing, its move toward increasing renewable energy use, and its proximity to eastern coastal cities, among them. It was also important to be somewhere culturally diverse and friendly toward LGBTQ people, Singer said. For Jon Randall, wildfires that hit the Bay Area in 2022 pushed him to leave California. “For six weeks you couldn’t go outside,” said Randall of the fires, adding that he and his wife searched online for potential places to live and retire. They picked Rochester, in part to be closer to family in Long Island, where he is originally from. The average annual temperature in Rochester, which has 200,000 residents, hovers around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius)—warmer than that in the summer and colder in the winter. The city is home to the University of Rochester, a private research institution, and the Rochester Institute of Technology, which sits in the southwest suburbs. Rochester is also known for its “garbage plates”—french fries covered in hamburger meat and baked beans, a favorite local comfort food. The city has adopted several progressive climate plans in recent years, including an initiative to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030. It’s part of a statewide push to build cleaner infrastructure, such as expanding its electric vehicle charging network. In 2019, the city launched an initiative that gives up to $9,000 to new resident homebuyers. Climate is often one of many factors in decision to move Studies have found that people rarely choose where they move based on climate reasons alone. They also weigh other factors such as affordability, family ties, and job opportunities. People move where they think they can maintain a certain quality of life, and Rochester—with its freshwater resources—can make for a more attractive destination compared to other cities, de Sherbinin said. Duluth garnered a climate-friendly reputation after commissioning an economic development package to attract newcomers in 2019. That same year, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown called the city a “climate refuge” in a speech. No such proclamations have been made by local officials recently, including in Rochester. Mayor Malik Evans’ office did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment for this story. Rochester has a large Latino population Rochester has welcomed a steady increase of Latinos over the last several years. Today, 61,000 residents in Monroe Country, the largest in the Rochester area, identify as Latino or Hispanic, with 70% Puerto Rican, according to a 2019 report by the Center for Governmental Research, a Rochester-based consulting firm. Arelis Gomez moved to Rochester in 2016 from Puerto Rico in search of work opportunities and better education for her children, following her brother who had moved to New York City a few years prior. Arelis Ayala, her mother, followed her daughter in 2019, finally making the move after wanting to leave since Hurricane Jorge in 1998, which hammered many parts of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. “It was a really hard decision,” Ayala said about her move to be closer to her daughter. Ayala and her daughter hope to eventually bring the rest of the family to Rochester. Jonathan Gonzalez and his then-pregnant wife moved to Rochester after another major storm, Hurricane Maria, pummeled Puerto Rico in 2017. “It was pretty difficult to live in Puerto Rico those days,” Gonzalez said, adding that everything, including hospitals, were closed because of no electricity. His mother already had a home in Rochester, which made it a natural place to go. Starting over was hard, though Gonzalez feels at home now. “I love Rochester,” he said. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Toni Duncan of Rochester Institute of Technology and Nadia Lathan of The Associated Press View the full article

Parental leave is often treated as a checkbox issue—handled quietly by HR, focused on paperwork, and confined to a narrow window of time. But Amy Beacom, founder and CEO of the Center for Parental Leave Leadership and author of The Parental Leave Playbook, is reshaping that view. With over 25 years of experience in executive coaching and organizational development, Beacom, who has an EdD degree in industrial and organizational psychology from Columbia University, partners with leading companies to transform parental leave into a strategic advantage for retention, equity, and leadership growth. In this conversation, Beacom unpacks some of the biggest misconceptions about parental leave—and shares best practices and innovative strategies for companies of all sizes to better support employees before, during, and after this critical transition. What are some of the biggest misconceptions organizations still hold about parental leave today? First, that parental leave is solely about paid time off, administration, and compliance. When seen only through this limited lens, leave remains siloed in HR, and its broader potential is overlooked. In reality, parental leave can be a powerful driver of talent retention, employee well-being, DEI-B goals, leadership development, organizational culture, brand reputation, risk mitigation, and more. Second, that parental leave begins when a child arrives and ends when a parent returns to work. The full employee experience often spans over a year—starting before leave is announced and continuing long after the return. Without meaningful support across all three phases—preparing for, during, and returning from leave—organizations risk losing talent and falling short of their intended ROI [return on investment]. And third, that parental leave is only about moms. Leave benefits should be offered equally to all parents, not just mothers. Parental leave also impacts managers, teams, clients, and HR. When it’s seen not as a personal issue for moms but as a professional experience many employees will face, it becomes clear that leave is a standard part of the employee lifecycle. What are the core best practices every organization—regardless of size—should follow when it comes to supporting employees before, during, and after parental leave? Treat this time as unique and sacred, because for your employees it is. Begin with generous, gender-neutral paid family and medical leave benefits to create a strong foundation. Create a clear, centralized, and well-communicated intranet webpage that includes anything and everything leave-related. Include your policy, all benefits, expectations, assessments, coaching, training, templates, resources, etc. Provide structured guidance and planning support to both the employee and their manager before, during, and after leave. Train managers to understand the law, but just as importantly, train them how to confidently navigate the leave and return process with intentionality, empathy, and clarity. Normalize parental leave and return as a predictable part of the workplace experience—one that warrants consistent support and unlocks valuable opportunities for learning, growth, and leadership development—not as a disruption. Larger companies often have more resources. What innovative or exemplary approaches have you seen from bigger organizations when it comes to parental leave planning and reintegration? At the enterprise level, we help organizations integrate parental leave into leadership development, link manager support to performance goals, and use data to track and improve leave experiences across teams and regions. In some cases, we’ve scaled manager training across dozens of countries; in others, we’ve leveraged our digital coaching hub to build community and learning at scale. One of the most impactful and growing strategies we recommend is coaching—using certified RETAIN Parental Leave Coaches to support parents through leave and return, administer perinatal mental health screenings, and connect them to resources. We’ve also helped organizations implement peer-based support like leave buddies and return-to-work cohorts to foster connection and ease the transition back to work. One area we’re currently focused on—alongside several large companies—is designing effective leave coverage systems that double as developmental opportunities for high-potential employees or team members. We’re also exploring new ways to structure compensation and performance metrics that feel both fair and motivating. These aren’t just perks—they’re strategic tools for driving retention and performance Smaller organizations often cite resource constraints. What creative or low-cost strategies have you seen smaller employers use to support parental leave well? At the root of it, employees want to know they matter, especially during unpredictable times, and that simple act doesn’t have to cost anything. The smaller employers we work with often shine through personalization and flexibility—they use recognition in ways that feel meaningful and genuine. I also recommend using tools like shared planning templates and checklists for leave transitions, designating an “HR point person” to act as a leave concierge, and holding team-based planning sessions so responsibilities are clearly handed off and reintegrated. A warm, proactive conversation and a culture of support go a long way—even without a big budget. Managers are often the linchpin in a parent’s leave experience. What support or guidance do they need? They need clear expectations, practical tools, and a safe, judgment-free space to ask questions. Most managers have never been trained on how to handle parental leave and return transitions and are afraid to say or do the wrong thing. Our evidence-based trainings provide communication frameworks, timelines, compliance essentials, and emotional intelligence skills. On top of training, the most impactful support we recommend is one-on-one coaching with a certified parental leave coach. When managers have confidential access to expert guidance, they feel more secure, parents feel more supported—and both are more likely to stay engaged and avoid burnout. Given the current political and cultural climate, what trends are you seeing in the future of parental leave policy and practice—and what might organizations need to prepare for? There’s growing recognition that leave is more than a benefit—it’s a driver of long-term organizational health. Thirteen states plus D.C. have passed paid-leave legislation, and momentum is building toward federal standardization, and rising employee expectations are prompting companies to act ahead of mandates. We’re also seeing a shift toward intersectional strategies that connect leave to leadership development, career growth, mental health, and caregiver support. Organizations that treat leave as a core talent strategy—not just a compliance task—will be best positioned for the future. View the full article

PECOS, Texas—Extreme drought has diminished the flows of the Rio Grande and Pecos River, two of the most iconic waterways in Texas. The advocacy group American Rivers recently named the Lower Rio Grande one of its most endangered rivers, describing a “near-permanent human-induced megadrought threatening all life that depends on it.” On the Pecos River, there hasn’t been enough water to distribute to irrigation districts below the Red Bluff Reservoir in recent years. While farmers and cities face increasing water scarcity, oil and gas companies use billions of gallons of water from these rivers annually. An exclusive Inside Climate News analysis found that drillers used more than 31,000 acre feet, or more than 10 billion gallons, of Rio Grande water for drilling and fracking operations in the Eagle Ford Shale between 2021 and 2024. That’s enough water to meet the needs of 113,500 Texas households for an entire year, based on average daily use of 246 gallons per household. At the Red Bluff Reservoir on the Pecos River, Daniel Arrant of Kingsley Water Company reports to have sold more than 75 million barrels of water, or more than 4 billion gallons, for oil and gas operations since 2016. Numerous Texas oil and gas companies have made voluntary commitments to reduce their freshwater use and shift to brackish or recycled water for use in fracking for oil and gas. But the water sales, like those reported by Arrant of the Kingsley Water Company, show that oil and gas drilling is still reliant on surface water from Texas rivers. Surface water sold for drilling and fracking is categorized as “mining” consumption under Texas law. Pumping water underground to drill or frack a well often permanently removes it from the natural hydrologic cycle, given the presence of chemical fracking fluids and natural toxins like arsenic following its use in the extraction process for oil or gas. Inside Climate News obtained Rio Grande water data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) through a public information request. Kingsley Water Company, an oil field water services firm based in the Woodlands, a Houston suburb, was the top user of Rio Grande water for oil and gas drilling, followed by SM Energy Company, Segundo Navarro Drilling, and Select Water Solutions. Between the Rio Grande and the Pecos River, Kingsley has sold enough water for drilling to meet the needs of more than 100,000 Texas households for a year. Kinglsey and Arrant did not respond to multiple requests for comment. State Representative Vikki Goodwin criticized Apache Corp. for buying water from the Pecos River when, she says, recycled ”produced water” from fracking was available. Inside Climate News independently confirmed the water purchase. “Investments in projects to clean up and recycle frack water will dry up if oil companies don’t opt to use the recycled water,” Goodwin, a Democrat who represents Travis County, said. “My hope is we don’t wait until too late to make better decisions about our water resources in Texas.” A spokesperson for Apache, headquartered in Houston, said the company “minimizes the use of fresh water” and is using “non-fresh, non-potable” water for fracking its oil and gas wells in Loving County near the reservoir. Eagle Ford Drillers Tap Rio Grande Tributaries in Mexico feed the Rio Grande in South Texas. But with Mexico behind on water deliveries to the United States, tensions on the river are high. The Amistad Reservoir, where water delivered by Mexico is stored, hit a historic low in July 2024. Extreme drought in counties like Webb and Maverick, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, is compounding the problem. Groundwater springs and tributaries are feeding less water into the river. Flows have decreased on the Rio Grande by more than 30% in recent decades. The Rio Grande is the sole source of drinking water for the city of Laredo in Webb County. Because of the drought, Laredo has asked residents to reduce water use for several consecutive years. Planners are considering costly alternative water sources to prepare for the day, projected to come around 2040, when the Rio Grande won’t be enough to supply the city. Agriculture consumes the lion’s share of Rio Grande water, followed by municipal use. While groundwater is the primary source for oil and gas drilling, several companies still consume substantial volumes of surface water from the river. Webb County is at the heart of the fracking boom that took off in South Texas’s Eagle Ford Shale formation in 2010. The Eagle Ford Shale is now consistently one of the top three oil-producing basins in the country. Inside Climate News found that between 2020 and 2024, Kingsley Water Company used 12,363 acre feet of Rio Grande water, SM Energy used 11,379 acre feet, Segundo Navarro used 3,979 acre feet, and Select Water used 3,776 acre feet. An acre foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot, or 325,851 gallons. The companies did not respond to requests for comment. Rio Grande water rights are overseen by the TCEQ Rio Grande Watermaster. Water rights are adjudicated by the state and then can be bought and sold by private parties. Rights holders are allowed to divert a pre-approved amount of water at a specific location. Most of these rights are held by cities, farmers, and irrigation districts. Oilfield companies hold a small number. Kingsley Water Company is a subsidiary of Kingsley Constructors, headquartered in the Woodlands. In 2011, Daniel Arrant “led the purchase and permitting” of the Rio Grande water rights, according to the website of Voyager, the Houston private equity firm where he is a partner. Arrant entered contracts to resell the water to operators completing wells in the Eagle Ford Shale. These deals have sold more than 235 million barrels, or 9.87 billion gallons, of Rio Grande water, according to the Voyager website. Select Water Solutions, headquartered in Gainesville, Texas, also resells Rio Grande water to drilling companies. The company’s 2023 sustainability report states that it places “the utmost importance on safe, environmentally responsible management of water.” Select Water Solutions reported selling a larger share of recycled water each year between 2020 and 2023. But the total volume of freshwater sold also increased in 2023 to a four-year high of more than 97 million barrels, or more than 4 billion gallons. SM Energy, a Denver-based independent exploration and production company, does not have public sustainability targets for minimizing water use and protecting water quality. Neither does San Antonio-based Segundo Navarro Drilling, a subsidiary of Lewis Energy Group. TCEQ does not collect data on how oil and gas companies use the surface water they purchase. Drilling, well completion, and fracking are all different steps in the lifecycle of a well that require water. TCEQ spokesperson Ricky Richter said that between 2009 and 2023, annual surface water use for mining, which includes oil and gas operations, averaged 40,000 acre feet statewide, or about 13 billion gallons. TCEQ defines “mining” use as “water for mining processes including hydraulic use, drilling, washing sand and gravel, and oil field repressuring.” Martin Castro, watershed science director at the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC) in Laredo, analyzed water use in oil and gas operations for a 2021 report. He found drillers used 19 billion gallons of Rio Grande water between 2010 and 2020. “Any reductions of the river’s water supply, when coupled with recurring droughts, will have disastrous consequences for Webb County and South Texas,” Castro wrote at the time. Inside Climate News’s analysis found slightly higher annual rates of water diversions for oil and gas between 2021 to 2024 than rates noted in RGISC’s report spanning the preceding decade. Castro was concerned that drillers are still using large volumes of Rio Grande water. “We’re not doing any better than four years ago,” he said. Castro previously worked for TCEQ and observed water diversions used for fracking. But he said that, without reporting requirements, the true scale is unknown. Castro would like to see TCEQ collect data on how much surface water goes to drilling as opposed to fracking. He has also called on TCEQ to publish Rio Grande water diversion data, which currently is only available through records requests. “There is no transparency,” he said. RGISC collaborated with American Rivers in its campaign that named the Lower Rio Grande one of the country’s most endangered rivers. Castro said improving resilience on the river will require thinking outside of the box and increasing investment. “The only way we’re going to improve conditions on the river is if we make serious federal investments,” he said. Water rights downstream of Amistad Reservoir on the Rio Grande operate on a priority system, which ensures cities get their share of water during times of scarcity. “Priority is given to municipal use, and municipal priority is guaranteed through a municipal reserve,” said TCEQ spokesperson Laura Lopez. “Water for mining use, as with irrigation and recreational use, is allocated to a water right holder’s account based on available storage in the system.” Pecos River Water Sold from Red Bluff Reservoir The Pecos River begins in the mountains of New Mexico and flows through West Texas to meet the Rio Grande. An inter-state compact requires New Mexico to send Pecos River water to Texas, where it is impounded at the Red Bluff Reservoir. Reduced flows on the Pecos have lowered water levels at Red Bluff. On paper, the Red Bluff Power and Irrigation District, which manages the reservoir, holds rights to 292,500 acre feet a year of water. But it’s been a long time since there was that much water in the reservoir. Red Bluff sat at 65,000 acre feet in early May. Because of the low reservoir levels, Red Bluff is often unable to send water downstream to irrigation districts. Kingsley secured the mining water right in 2014 for up to 7,500 acre feet of water a year, about 2.44 billion gallons. The Red Bluff district told Inside Climate News that Kinglsey purchased 1,400 acre feet, or more than 450 million gallons, in 2024. District general manager Robin Prewit said the water sales to oil and gas drillers are “a drop in the bucket.” She said that even if the district did not sell water to Kingsley, because of evaporation and transportation losses, there would not be enough water to send to the irrigation districts. “I’m not having to choose one or the other,” she said. What she said she could really use is more rain in the Pecos River watershed in New Mexico. Salinity is another challenge. The water at Red Bluff is salty enough to be considered brackish. Farmers in the area grow salt-tolerant plants. But to be potable for human consumption the water would have to be treated. Apache, which purchased water from Kinglsey early this year, reported using 98.2% “nonfresh” water in 2023. Water from Red Bluff would be considered “nonfresh” because of the salinity levels. Ernest Woodward, a rancher outside McCamey, opposes the water sales for oil and gas drilling. “It should not be,” he said. “It’s for irrigation.” He gave up farming barley after several years without irrigation water from Red Bluff. “You go to all the labor to get the land prepared, and then you don’t get the water,” he said. Woodward would like to see water flowing in the river again. “We don’t have enough water,” he said. “We’re starving.” This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News. It is republished with permission. Sign up for its newsletter here. View the full article

In the mid-1920s, most Americans ate light breakfasts. Edward Bernays, who would eventually be considered the father of public relations, was hired by a company that sold bacon to promote the idea that a “hearty” meal including bacon and eggs was more scientifically beneficial. Bernays conducted interviews and then carefully framed the results that led to a shift in public opinion. America’s iconic breakfast is now bacon and eggs. In the 1950s, the Keep America Beautiful campaign was launched by a coalition of corporations whose products were often littered (soda bottles, plastic packages, etc.). Their iconic moment was 1971’s commercial with actor Iron Eyes Cody as a Native American shedding a single tear about litter and pollution. Both of these campaigns were carefully crafted propaganda designed to focus on individual decisions and actions. They relied on imagery, symbolism, and emotion, not raw facts. And they weren’t designed to explicitly sell bacon or guilt. Public relations storytellers shaped public opinion like artists and nudged enough behavior change that the entire culture was impacted. Artful vision and the power to reframe Propaganda is an idea or allegation crafted not to inform neutrally, but to influence behavior and belief. Art is an object or image shaped with skill and imagination to evoke emotion and meaning. It’s useful to learn from people who create art and propaganda. In my work—planning transportation systems with a bias toward human flourishing—I often say I create “propagandart” to save the human race. prä-pə-ˈgan-därt (noun): ideas, allegations, and aesthetic objects produced with the conscious use of skill and creative imagination, spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause The people best equipped to influence behavior aren’t just marketers or policymakers—they’re propagandartists. The photographer who shapes what you notice. The muralist who reclaims public space. The meme creator who distills frustration into a punchline. Each is practicing a form of strategic persuasion. Each is shaping not just what we see, but how we feel about it. Whether you’re pitching a startup, selling a product, or reshaping a city, you’re competing with ads, reels, renderings, memes—all designed to influence perception before you’ve said a word. To win the room, you don’t need new tools nearly as much as you need to master an old one: the art of influence. Consider a fine art photographer and a meme lord. One crafts a single frame with obsessive care; the other floods the internet with viral punchlines. Both are propagandists—storytellers who deliberately shape how we see and feel. If I want to create walk-friendly, bicycle-friendly places that increase the smile density in my city, I’m only going to reach that goal through persuasive storytelling. Every photograph is a lie. Photography isn’t objective. Ansel Adams didn’t just capture Yosemite; he framed it to evoke awe. Gordon Parks didn’t just document injustice; he gave it emotional gravity. What’s left out of the frame is as important as what’s inside it. That’s the lesson: direct attention with intention. Don’t pitch the product. Show the life it makes possible. The relieved parent, the joyful commuter, the profitable small business, etc. Great art doesn’t just show—it sells a version of reality. Remix culture and the new public square For urbanism innovators, shaping imaginations is a vital part of the playbook. Launching a new cargo bike, pitching a housing policy, or designing a bus transfer hub requires persuasion. If you can’t shape public imagination, your product, policy, or vision will be dead on arrival, no matter how brilliant the data behind it. The Dinner Party Artists reframe the past, present, and future—sometimes in an effort to change culture in some way, sometimes just to be irreverent or entertaining. From Shepard Fairey’s “Hope” poster to Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party, art can create appetites for ideas the mainstream hasn’t developed yet. A speculative rendering of a car-free downtown is an example of a prompt for belief. The High Line in New York began this way: a vision, illustrated and circulated, that turned an abandoned rail line into a civic treasure. Applying lessons learned from the art world doesn’t require training to become a great artist yourself. Memes are fast, cheap, and culturally potent. They’re the digital age’s most accessible form of propagandart and we all know they can sometimes look sloppy and haphazard. A meme doesn’t explain—it distills. The “Distracted Boyfriend” image reshaped debates about loyalty. Bernie Sanders in mittens became a viral fundraiser. Memes bypass logic, persuading with speed, irony, and emotional friction. For builders and changemakers, memes offer a strategy. Want to communicate the absurdity of legacy infrastructure or bloated software? A meme can do in seconds what a slide deck does in 30 minutes. Memes can help energize a movement or reframe a dull category. The trick is to stop thinking of them as fluff and start using them as signals. Organized persuasion We’ve been taught to fear the word “propaganda.” But propaganda, at its root, is organized persuasion. And in an environment of infinite messages, intentional persuasion is a competitive edge. Propagandart blends art’s emotional pull with strategy’s clarity. A viral video about your mission is propagandart. A campaign calling out industry greenwashing is propagandart. A cartoon satirizing the way zoning keeps Americans trapped in cars is propagandart. Decide what belief or point of view you’re trying to implant, or what behavior you’re trying to shift. Then use facts to create stories that move markets. From canvas to camera to meme, the artist’s role has never changed: shape what people see—and how they feel about it. This is true for shipping code, designing buildings, or launching a movement of kids biking to school. Your work and your legacy lives or dies by stories. With artistic tools in every pocket and public platforms a click away, we’re in a golden age of propagandart. If you want your idea to stick, it needs more than a data point—it needs to be seen, felt, and shared. Just ask the campaigners behind Barcelona’s “Superblocks.” Before reconfiguring traffic patterns or drafting ordinances, they shared speculative renderings of tree-lined streets, kids playing in former intersections, and cafes spilling into quiet roads once dominated by cars. Those images didn’t just illustrate the plan. They created public appetite for change—turning skepticism into support. The power of propagandart is shaping not just what people know, but what they want. Picture a better world. Frame the story. Share it. If you can shape how people feel, you can shape what they demand. View the full article

How do you feel about your work? Do its daily demands leave you burned out and drained of energy? Do you find yourself reducing how much effort you make to engage in some “quiet” or “soft” quitting? Or maybe you dream of taking a more decisive step and joining the “great resignation.” The prevalence—and popularity—of these responses suggest that there has been quite a change in many people’s attitudes to the way they earn a living. Some think that this change stems from a post-COVID evaluation of work-life balance. Others say it’s an individual form of industrial action. However, these explanations keep the spotlight firmly on workers rather than the work itself. Perhaps the truth lies in a fundamental deterioration in people’s relationship with their work and maybe the work needs to shoulder some of the responsibility. Our experience of working, and its impact on our lives, is about more than what goes on within the office or school or hospital or factory that pays our wages. Even something as simple (yet important) as the number of hours someone works might be the result of a complex combination of national law, professional expectations, and an organization’s resources. This is where something known as the “psychosocial work environment” comes in—an approach (especially popular in Scandinavia) that examines the various structures, conditions, and experiences that affect an employee’s psychological and emotional well-being. Research in this field suggests that there are three conditions vital to the modern work experience: autonomy, boundary management, and “precarity.” Autonomy is about how much control and influence you have when it comes to doing your job and is key to how most employees feel about their work. Low levels of autonomy can leave people feeling overwhelmed and powerless. But high levels can also be detrimental, leading to excessive levels of individual responsibility and overwhelming hours. Ideally, you should have enough autonomy to feel a sense of flexibility and self-determination—but not so much that you feel you need to always be available and constantly on the clock. Setting boundaries Boundary management is the ability to manage the physical and mental boundaries between work and nonwork lives. Achieving a suitable work-life balance has become even more important in a world of hybrid working. But in jobs with high levels of autonomy and responsibility, boundaries can become blurred and unpredictable. Phones ping with work-related notifications, and leisure becomes work at the swipe of a screen. All of this can lead to feelings of anxiety and exhaustion. The goal here is to set clear boundaries that bring predictability and clarity around work time and demands. This provides flexibility that is empowering rather than exploitative. Finally, “precarity” refers to a lack of stability and security in life. It refers specifically to a harmful state of uncertainty that is typically associated with job insecurity (zero-hour contracts, for example). This uncertainty and insecurity can dominate daily work time (and free time), leading to feelings of stress and anxiety. It can also have a negative impact on personal finances and career plans. Income and contract security can help here, although people working in insecure jobs often have little power when it comes to persuading their employers to make the necessary changes. But addressing the deteriorating relationship between employees and their work means confronting certain core conditions. Reflecting on the psychosocial elements of employment can help to identify the gap between expectation and actual experience. Before experiencing burnout or resorting to quitting (in any of its forms), this approach encourages employees and employers to reflect on two key questions. How does work make you feel? And what are the things that cause those feelings? Research on psychosocial work environments provides some guidance. It suggests that workers are more likely to thrive when they have autonomy that feels like control rather than abandonment, and flexibility and clarity that allows for a good work-life balance. They also need security that offers certainty in the present—and confidence in the future. John-Paul Byrne is a lecturer at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

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Canva unveiled Canva Sheets on May 14 at its Canva Create: Uncharted event, introducing a new generation of AI-powered data tools designed to make working with data simple, fast, and visual. The release marks Canva’s expansion into the world of spreadsheets, bringing together analytics, design, and automation within a unified platform. According to the announcement, Canva Sheets reimagines the traditional spreadsheet by combining structured data capabilities with Canva’s design-first approach. Users can now transform raw numbers into engaging visuals, reports, and marketing content without leaving the Canva ecosystem. A Visual-First Spreadsheet Experience Canva’s goal is to move beyond traditional rows and columns by making data communication clearer, more compelling, and more accessible. “Spreadsheets have been designed for analysis, not for storytelling,” the company stated. Canva Sheets aims to change that with tools that prioritize visual communication, allowing users to create interactive, presentation-ready content from raw data. The platform includes integrated features like Magic Formulas, Magic Insights, and Magic Charts. These AI-powered tools enable users to analyze data, uncover key trends, and instantly convert results into charts or visual narratives. Magic Charts suggests optimal chart formats based on the dataset and includes interactive filters and animations such as Match & Move to enhance storytelling. AI Tools Streamline Workflows With the integration of Magic Studio, users can scale content creation directly from spreadsheets. The announcement highlights how teams can generate personalized, on-brand materials—such as social media posts, emails, and campaign assets—based on spreadsheet data, all within a few clicks. “Powered by Canva AI, what once took hours now takes seconds,” the company stated. Features include bulk editing, cross-platform resizing, multilingual translation into 100+ languages, and campaign adaptation for multiple markets. Enhanced Data Synchronization To help teams stay aligned, Canva Sheets includes Data Connectors that integrate with third-party tools like Google Analytics and HubSpot. This allows users to connect live data sources to their Sheets and automatically update charts and visuals in real time. Canva noted, “When the data changes, so do your designs – no need for manual rebuilds or pasted screenshots.” This feature is particularly aimed at recurring tasks such as stakeholder updates, campaign dashboards, and monthly reporting, simplifying what has traditionally been a labor-intensive process. Image: Canva This article, "Canva Launches Canva Sheets, Merging Data, Design, and AI for a New Era of Spreadsheets" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Canva unveiled Canva Sheets on May 14 at its Canva Create: Uncharted event, introducing a new generation of AI-powered data tools designed to make working with data simple, fast, and visual. The release marks Canva’s expansion into the world of spreadsheets, bringing together analytics, design, and automation within a unified platform. According to the announcement, Canva Sheets reimagines the traditional spreadsheet by combining structured data capabilities with Canva’s design-first approach. Users can now transform raw numbers into engaging visuals, reports, and marketing content without leaving the Canva ecosystem. A Visual-First Spreadsheet Experience Canva’s goal is to move beyond traditional rows and columns by making data communication clearer, more compelling, and more accessible. “Spreadsheets have been designed for analysis, not for storytelling,” the company stated. Canva Sheets aims to change that with tools that prioritize visual communication, allowing users to create interactive, presentation-ready content from raw data. The platform includes integrated features like Magic Formulas, Magic Insights, and Magic Charts. These AI-powered tools enable users to analyze data, uncover key trends, and instantly convert results into charts or visual narratives. Magic Charts suggests optimal chart formats based on the dataset and includes interactive filters and animations such as Match & Move to enhance storytelling. AI Tools Streamline Workflows With the integration of Magic Studio, users can scale content creation directly from spreadsheets. The announcement highlights how teams can generate personalized, on-brand materials—such as social media posts, emails, and campaign assets—based on spreadsheet data, all within a few clicks. “Powered by Canva AI, what once took hours now takes seconds,” the company stated. Features include bulk editing, cross-platform resizing, multilingual translation into 100+ languages, and campaign adaptation for multiple markets. Enhanced Data Synchronization To help teams stay aligned, Canva Sheets includes Data Connectors that integrate with third-party tools like Google Analytics and HubSpot. This allows users to connect live data sources to their Sheets and automatically update charts and visuals in real time. Canva noted, “When the data changes, so do your designs – no need for manual rebuilds or pasted screenshots.” This feature is particularly aimed at recurring tasks such as stakeholder updates, campaign dashboards, and monthly reporting, simplifying what has traditionally been a labor-intensive process. Image: Canva This article, "Canva Launches Canva Sheets, Merging Data, Design, and AI for a New Era of Spreadsheets" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Shopify has announced the launch of a new commerce integration with Roblox, giving eligible Shopify merchants the ability to sell physical products directly within Roblox’s immersive gaming platform. The integration is now live and marks Shopify’s debut as Roblox’s first official commerce partner. According to the announcement, brands using Shopify can now create in-game commerce experiences to engage with Roblox’s extensive user base, which reached over 97 million daily active users. “Brands can now create immersive commerce experiences right inside Roblox to reach an engaged audience of 97+ million daily active users,” Shopify stated. Expanding Commerce Into Immersive Spaces Shopify framed the partnership as a strategic effort to advance its mission of enabling commerce everywhere. “This partnership brings together two companies on a mission of furthering entrepreneurship and making commerce everywhere a reality—even in immersive spaces,” the company stated. As part of the integration, Shopify will pilot its Checkout product within the Roblox platform, with a full launch expected in early 2025. This will enable developers, creators, and Shopify-connected brands to sell physical items to Roblox users without requiring them to leave the game environment. Opportunities for Creators and Brands Shopify highlighted the potential this integration holds for Roblox creators, describing it as a “brand new avenue to entrepreneurship.” The company emphasized that creators and brands will be able to tap into a global audience of nearly 80 million daily active Roblox users, based on Q2 2024 data. “Commerce happens everywhere—from physical stores, to online, to immersive spaces,” the company said. “One of the most relevant places for digitally-savvy Gen Z consumers in the world right now is Roblox, where millions of creators pursue entrepreneurship through immersive content creation.” Shaping the Future of Immersive Commerce Shopify positioned this partnership as part of its broader vision to support entrepreneurs across evolving digital spaces. “This is another example of how Shopify is shaping the future of immersive commerce and shopping,” the company stated. “When entrepreneurs have more spaces to connect with fans, they have more opportunities to succeed. That is what we power at Shopify.” The integration offers new opportunities for entrepreneurs to monetize their audiences and grow their businesses in an increasingly virtual world. With Shopify’s Checkout functionality embedded within Roblox games, the company aims to streamline the path from engagement to purchase in immersive environments. “See you soon on Roblox,” Shopify concluded in its announcement. This article, "Shopify Launches Commerce Integration with Roblox" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Shopify has announced the launch of a new commerce integration with Roblox, giving eligible Shopify merchants the ability to sell physical products directly within Roblox’s immersive gaming platform. The integration is now live and marks Shopify’s debut as Roblox’s first official commerce partner. According to the announcement, brands using Shopify can now create in-game commerce experiences to engage with Roblox’s extensive user base, which reached over 97 million daily active users. “Brands can now create immersive commerce experiences right inside Roblox to reach an engaged audience of 97+ million daily active users,” Shopify stated. Expanding Commerce Into Immersive Spaces Shopify framed the partnership as a strategic effort to advance its mission of enabling commerce everywhere. “This partnership brings together two companies on a mission of furthering entrepreneurship and making commerce everywhere a reality—even in immersive spaces,” the company stated. As part of the integration, Shopify will pilot its Checkout product within the Roblox platform, with a full launch expected in early 2025. This will enable developers, creators, and Shopify-connected brands to sell physical items to Roblox users without requiring them to leave the game environment. Opportunities for Creators and Brands Shopify highlighted the potential this integration holds for Roblox creators, describing it as a “brand new avenue to entrepreneurship.” The company emphasized that creators and brands will be able to tap into a global audience of nearly 80 million daily active Roblox users, based on Q2 2024 data. “Commerce happens everywhere—from physical stores, to online, to immersive spaces,” the company said. “One of the most relevant places for digitally-savvy Gen Z consumers in the world right now is Roblox, where millions of creators pursue entrepreneurship through immersive content creation.” Shaping the Future of Immersive Commerce Shopify positioned this partnership as part of its broader vision to support entrepreneurs across evolving digital spaces. “This is another example of how Shopify is shaping the future of immersive commerce and shopping,” the company stated. “When entrepreneurs have more spaces to connect with fans, they have more opportunities to succeed. That is what we power at Shopify.” The integration offers new opportunities for entrepreneurs to monetize their audiences and grow their businesses in an increasingly virtual world. With Shopify’s Checkout functionality embedded within Roblox games, the company aims to streamline the path from engagement to purchase in immersive environments. “See you soon on Roblox,” Shopify concluded in its announcement. This article, "Shopify Launches Commerce Integration with Roblox" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article