Marketplace All-in-One

A carbon tax will be among the topics discussed at the upcoming COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. While more than 20 other jurisdictions around the world have implemented carbon taxes, a new tax is a hard sell to the U.S. public — and then there’s the powerful fossil fuel lobby. Also on today’s show: Why some economists are anxious about increasing prices and wages; rural Americans brace for higher propane prices as winter approaches; and a new delivery fee for Whole Foods groceries.

From the BBC World Service: More than 160 former world leaders and corporate bosses have written a letter to this year’s G20 chair, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, calling for immediate action to resolve inequality in vaccine distribution. President Biden will also attend the group’s first meeting since the pandemic began. Plus, ahead of the COP26 climate summit, the complex task of getting the European Union’s 27-member countries to meet their joint pledge to be climate neutral by 2050.

Christopher Low talks to us about the markets, where data shows that inflation shows progress when it comes to inflation. Winter is coming for the cruise industry, but could that be good news? Ships are ready to take on vaccinated passengers. In Scotland, Glasgow is hosting the big U.N. climate change conference known as COP26. However, its garbage-ridden streets and rat issues threaten to trash its reputation.

Supply shortages and labor issues have negatively impacted two pillars of Big Tech. Amazon and Apple both reported earnings this week, and the numbers show billions in losses for both companies. We dive in a little more with Nancy Marshall-Genzer. We also talk to Molly Wood about her new podcast, “How We Survive.” The latest episode focuses on lithium in the Salton Sea.

Facebook is rebranding. Mark Zuckerberg announced it’s now going to be called Meta. The move is meant to focus attention on the company’s efforts to build a virtual world known as the metaverse. Perhaps a welcome pivot for the company, especially in light of internal research leaked to the press that included revelations of Facebook’s negative effects on the mental health of teenagers, democracies around the world and the way people communicate with each other. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Jeff Horwitz, the Wall Street Journal writer who first reported the leaks.

Earlier today, Mark Zuckerberg announced he’d be heading Facebook’s new parent company, Meta. It will also cover WhatsApp, Instagram and any future properties, including the virtual reality “metaverse” that inspired the company’s name. We’ll also talk about more infrastructure bill struggles and a new universal basic income effort in Los Angeles on this not-so-grim Hollowed-Out-Shell Thursday.

Here’s everything we talked about on the show today:

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Despite a decreasing number of layoffs, employees are quitting their jobs at record rates. Many are leaving essential jobs in favor of ones in information technology, communications and administration that offer higher pay, better benefits and predictable schedules. That’s boosting competition so much that, statistically, it’s now more difficult to become a receptionist than it is to get into Harvard, per data from ZipRecruiter. Later in the show: Two small business owners discuss how they’re faring amid supply chain headaches; the climate crisis ups insurance bills; and in the search for zero-emission travels, hydrogen-powered passenger planes are likely to stay grounded for a while.

What happens when you stumble on something with the potential to change your life? Oscar (not their real name) was going through a rough patch in life when they found a bag of money in their dim basement apartment in Montreal. It was enough to propel their life in a different direction. First, they almost had a panic attack. Later, a gnawing regret consumed them.

“This Is Uncomfortable” is Reema Khrais, Donna Tam, Megan Detrie, Peter Balonon-Rosen, Camila Kerwin, Phoebe Unterman, Marque Greene and Serena Chow.

Here’s another fiscal challenge facing companies trying to navigate their way through the pandemic: Unvaccinated workers. From having to cover COVID tests to arranging paid leave, businesses are facing a question of how much unvaccinated workers could end up impacting their bottom line. A study has found that the average increase in tuition at public and private colleges did not keep up with inflation for this school year. Diane Swonk discusses the state of the markets heading into Halloween in terms of spending (it’s not all on candy corn) and rebuilding inventories.

COVID-19 vaccine boosters are slowly but methodically becoming another part of the U.S. pandemic response. As booster shots inch closer and closer to widespread use, we spoke with Dr. Larry Brilliant, one of the doctors who helped eradicate smallpox, on what steps need to be taken to keep COVID-19 and other diseases at bay. We also discuss a potential breakthrough in the tortuous negotiations among Democrats and the White House over President Biden’s domestic spending agenda.