Put food waste in plastic bags? We found out why
When you drive on the 134 Freeway, between Glendale and Pasadena…you may have admired the mountains opposite the view of downtown L.A. Well, that mountain is actually a landfill…Scholl Canyon Landfill. Since 1961, that landfill has grown with L.A. County’s waste — officials say it only has a few years of capacity left. About 500 trucks a day dump everything from trash to food waste there. Americans throw away about four pounds of trash per day — higher than anywhere in the world. How to properly dispose of trash, especially food waste can be complicated. What should go in composting? What is recyclable? And one of the most eyebrow raising questions: Why do some cities, such as Pasadena, require us to bag our food waste before putting it in the green bin? Today on AirTalk, we talk to LAist climate emergency reporter, Erin Stone, about her new piece breaking down California's confusing food waste disposal.
With files from LAist. You can read Erin’s full story here.
Monarch butterflies may soon be classified as a threatened species
U.S. wildlife officials announced a decision last Tuesday to extend federal protections to monarch butterflies after years of warnings from environmentalists that populations are shrinking and the beloved pollinator may not survive climate change. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to add the butterfly to the threatened species list by the end of next year following an extensive public comment period. In the monarch’s case, the proposed listing would generally prohibit anyone from killing or transporting the butterfly. People and farmers could continue to remove milkweed, a key food source for monarch caterpillars, from their gardens, backyards and fields but would be prohibited from making changes to the land that make it permanently unusable for the species. The proposal also would designate 4,395 acres (1,779 hectares) in seven coastal California counties where monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains migrate for winter as critical habitat for the butterfly. The designation would prohibit federal agencies from destroying or modifying that habitat. The designation doesn’t prohibit all development, but landowners who need a federal license or permit for a project would have to work with the wildlife service to mitigate damage.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss the iconic butterfly, the challenges facing its population today, and what a threatened species classification means. Joining us are Karen Oberhauser, professor emeritus of entomology at University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Emma Pelton, senior conservation biologist and western monarch lead for the Xerces Society.
With files from the Associated Press
Are couples who live separately better off?
A new study from Lancaster University in the UK looked at the mental health outcomes of couples who decide to live separately. The term is called “Living apart together” or LAT is actually a term that was coined back in the 70s and has been a relationship style many have chosen. But what we’re learning is just how beneficial it might be, especially to older adults who date later in life. While there is some evidence showing how cohabitation among married couples can have mental health benefits, the research shows that the benefits are greater for men than for women. Living apart together, on the other hand, benefits men and women similarly. Today on AirTalk we want to hear from you. Do you live separately from your partner? How come and what are the ways you see it benefiting your relationship and your personal wellbeing? Call us at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
LA city audit finds issues with interim housing occupancy, we make sense of the data
An audit from the L.A. City Controller’s office, released last week, found that, on average, one in four city-funded shelter beds for people experiencing homelessness went unused. The cost of the best beds equaled $218 million over five years; the audit’s additional findings did outline flaws with data quality, interim housing/shelter bed occupancy rates, and inadequate program management from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). Today on AirTalk, we dig into the audit with Makenna Sievertson, LAist reporter who’s been following and Ashley Bennett, director of homelessness at the LA City Controller’s office.
With files from LAist; read Makenna Sievertson’s story by clicking here
California’s unemployment insurance program is $20 billion in debt. What a new report says about its future.
The California Employment Development Department (EDD) has had a difficult last few years. In 2020, the pandemic brought unprecedented strain to their services — leading to EDD failing to stop rampant fraud and millions of Californinan’s finding their benefits delayed. Now nearly five years later, the EDD finds itself $20 billion in debt to the federal government — all from loans taken to cover pandemic benefits — which is costing taxpayers $1 billion a year in interest. Despite EDD’s $1.2 billion plan to modernize and streamline their system, a new report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) details EDD’s current model as fiscally unsustainable. The report finds that EDD is on track to lose $2 billion a year as it’s unable to cover the costs of its unemployment expenses. With this in mind, the LAO provides four recommendations to fix the system, including increasing the taxable wage base to $46,000 from $7,000 and completely redesigning the employer tax rates. Joining us today to discuss the latest on California’s EDD is Lauren Hepler, investigative reporter for CalMatters. Also joining us to talk about LAO’s new report is Chas Alamo, principal fiscal and policy analyst for the Legislative Analyst’s Office and co-author of the report. We also want to hear from you! Do you have a question about EDD’s future? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
SoCal History: What was your holiday shopping experience like before malls?
Holiday shopping has become quite diverse, from e-commerce to brick-and-mortar, but it’s easy to forget what older methods of finding the right gift looked like. Of course, malls, for most generations, have been a major hub for shoppers for decades, given the variation of their stores. Before shopping malls, we had department and specialty stores, which served as a more intentional shopping experience, but was certainly less convenient. So for this week’s SoCal History, we want to hear from you. What was your shopping experience like before malls dominated the holiday shopping space? What niche, specialty stores did you enjoy going to when finding the right gift? Of the few that exist, do you still seek some out? How have your holiday shopping habits changed? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.