Marketplace All-in-One

The pulp and paper industry is ranked the fourth-biggest contributor to global warming among manufacturing sectors in the United States. That’s not just because it destroys a large number of trees that would otherwise be capturing huge amounts of carbon. The whole cycle of felling trees, transporting them and using coal- and gas-fired processes to turn them into pulp is highly polluting. Marketplace’s European correspondent, Stephen Beard, has the story of the “deprinter” device that seeks to reduce the industry’s carbon emissions.

This isn’t your usual “Make Me Smart” episode. From the delayed Artemis space shuttle launch to the decline of crab populations and the weight of dragon eggs, we’re going down a big rabbit hole or, shall we say, into the dragon’s den. Get ready to get smart about the news you probably didn’t hear anywhere else.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

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At first glance, the U.S. economy is in kind of a weird place right now. Inflation remains high and the Fed isn’t backing down from interest rate hikes. But today we’ll take a closer look at two economic bright spots: the strength of the U.S. dollar and the surplus of job openings. Plus, a hurdle for Manhattan’s return-to-office plans and home flippers’ impact on design trends.

The Federal Reserve has spoken: It’s not backing down from a more aggressive interest-rate strategy to try to stamp out inflation. What kind of economic pain will that cause? And how long will it last? Plus, we look at how markets have been reacting to Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s speech from Friday at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. And, inflation is a global issue, but these lingering higher prices are caused by different things in different places. We break it all down.

The U.S. Department of Energy is warning that the supply of heating oil in New England is way below average, just as we head into the fall and winter. The Energy Department is telling states in the northeast to stockpile. Plus, this may not come as a surprise to many, but air travel complaints were up 35% in June compared to May, and they’re up almost 270% compared to pre-pandemic levels. And, why scooters, mopeds and motorcycles no longer get to park for free in Paris.

From the BBC World Service: That’s as countries across the European Union scramble to store enough energy for the winter, while the bloc cuts back on Russian supplies. Plus, Pakistan is launching a flash UN appeal for help as authorities struggle to cope with what’s being described as the worst flooding in the country’s history, with crops devastated. And, we hear how Brexit-related labor shortages are driving U.K. inflation.

Online shopping can be full of pop-ups and distractions, as well as some traps and misdirection. If you can find the Unsubscribe or Cancel button, even that tool might not release you completely. And that’s intentional. “Marketplace’s” Kimberly Adams speaks with Harry Brignull, a user-experience specialist based in the United Kingdom. He calls these design strategies “dark patterns,” and he’s been documenting them for over a decade.

Today, we’re going to get smart about two legal fights with big implications. First, we get into the weeds of the Mar-a-Lago affidavit. Then, we move to the world of pharmaceuticals, where a lawsuit could determine who owns the future of mRNA technology. And finally, we lighten up the mood with a round of our favorite game, Half Full/Half Empty.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

We love hearing from you. If you’ve got a question, comment or suggestion, send us a voice memo at [email protected] or leave a voice message at 508-U-B-SMART.

From Starbucks to REI, Chipotle and Trader Joe’s, unionization efforts are gaining momentum — particularly at individual stores with relatively small numbers of employees. Today, we’ll take a look at why the labor movement is seeing big wins on smaller scales. We’ll also unpack Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium and travel to a coastal New York town weighing difficult choices in adapting to climate change.

It’s Day 2 of the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium hosted by the Federal Reserve. We check in with World Bank President David Malpass, who’s on the ground in Wyoming, about monetary policy around the world. Also, we delve into the latest downbeat earnings report from Peloton, the exercise equipment and fitness company that boomed during the peak of the pandemic but has since fallen back to Earth — hard.