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https://www.ted.com/talks/jarrett_j_krosoczka_why_lunch_ladies_are_heroes/transcript

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1,569,744 views | Jarrett J. Krosoczka • TED@NYC

Children's book author Jarrett Krosoczka shares the origins of the Lunch Lady graphic novel series, in which undercover school heroes serve lunch...and justice! His new project, School Lunch Hero Day, reveals how cafeteria lunch staff provide more than food, and illustrates how powerful a thank you can be.

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Jarrett J. Krosoczka: Why lunch ladies are heroes

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Children's book author Jarrett Krosoczka shares the origins of the Lunch Lady graphic novel series, in which undercover school heroes serve lunch...and justice! His new project, School Lunch Hero Day, reveals how cafeteria lunch staff provide more than food, and illustrates how powerful a thank you can be.

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/14zmp7h2lRB8dAZMZkUz7Nss6U2pQiwRW/view

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RslbdevB5Jy3V5TWLli9_TLwzRaB1oaw/view

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https://newsela.com/read/kid-cleans-beaches/id/2001005352/

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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https://newsela.com/read/elem-hero-dogs-program/id/35125/

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Newsela | Hero Dogs program enlists pups to help those who served

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Hero Dogs can shut doors, turn lights on and off and do other tasks to help people who served in the military.

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https://newsela.com/videos/ckpeaf3dh00013g5z4i947sv4

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https://newsela.com/read/tesla-envt/id/16395/

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Newsela | Buyers charged about Tesla's new electric car, chance of saving climate

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https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52eec360e4b0c81c80749630/t/5a08b4820d9297197818d50d/1510519939901/AoW+1718_14+Driverless+Cars.pdf

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https://newsela.com/read/electriccars-procon/id/1897/

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Newsela - PRO/CON: Should the government subsidize electric cars?

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Two writers give their own opinions on whether subsidies are worth it, or are a waste of money.

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https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52eec360e4b0c81c80749630/t/603c18504d59d16018e18d5c/1614551120746/AoW+2021_26+Green+Energy.pdf

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https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52eec360e4b0c81c80749630/t/5bfb0af20ebbe88c33a70bd8/1543178995374/AoW+1819_14+Driverless+Cars.pdf

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https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/022615/can-family-survive-us-minimum-wage.asp

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The federal minimum wage for nonexempt employees in the United States is $7.25. It is meant to be a living wage, but this isn't the case in practice. The hourly rate hasn't kept up with the cost of living since the late 1960s. In fact, the earnings of a minimum-wage worker with a family of four fall well below the poverty line.

While many states and some cities have minimum-wage rates much higher than $7.25 and continue to revise them-in 2022, 26 U.S. states are increasing their minimum wages-minimum-wage earners still struggle to pay bills, secure housing, and support a family.

Key Takeaways

What Is the US Federal Minimum Wage?

Since 2009, the federal minimum wage has been $7.25, or $15,080 a year. Many economists believe this is woefully inadequate and unjust. Consider this: In 1968, the minimum waged peaked at an inflation adjusted value of $10.15 in 2018 dollars, which was worth 28.6% more than the federal minimum wage in 2018.

The minimum wage has been a political issue since its inception. During his presidency, Barack Obama signed an executive order to increase the minimum wage of some federal workers to $10.10, reasoning that the overall federal rate should also be raised to that amount. Although this campaign stalled in Congress, federal inaction prompted many states to legislate their own minimum-wage increases.

In early 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate both referred the Raise the Wage act of 2021 to committee. The bill is aimed to gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025. It was last introduced in 2019 but did not make it out of committee and, as a result, the debate about whether to lift the federal minimum wage rages on today.

Over the last decade, a movement to increase the minimum wage has been largely worker-driven. Fast-food and retail workers have staged nationwide walkouts in grassroots efforts to effect change. Home care workers, labor organizations, and women's groups have also joined the fight.

Thirty states, plus the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands currently pay more than the federal wage floor. Individual cities have also taken action. For example, the minimum wage in New York City is $15-more than double the federal minimum. At the start of 2022, 22 states had raised their minimum wages, with four others set to do so during the course of the year.

In November 2020, Florida residents voted to increase the state's minimum wage incrementally (beginning at $10 per hour on Sept. 30, 2021) until it reaches $15 per hour in September 2026.

Can a Family Survive on Today's Minimum Wage?

The minimum wage is meant to be a living wage. In 1933, five years before the first minimum wage became law, then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "By living wages, I mean more than a bare subsistence level-I mean the wages of a decent living." The first U.S. minimum wage was implemented in 1938 as part of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Today, full-time employees earning the federal minimum annually pocket just $15,080 (if they work 40 hours, each of the 52 weeks in a year), placing them well below the $18,310 poverty line in 2022 for families of two. Meanwhile, a full-time minimum wage earner with a family of four falls $12,670 below the poverty line of $27,750.

Pay Is Not the Only Problem

Many companies don't offer full-time hours, even when workers want them. Fluctuating work schedules, split shifts, and the dreaded "clopening" (closing the store at night, then reporting back to work early the next morning to open it) make it difficult for employees to work second jobs, attend college classes, or arrange childcare.

Minimum-wage employees are also vulnerable to pay reduction from wage theft, which includes lack of overtime pay, erased time cards, and any unpaid time that employees spend while at work, such as going through lengthy security bag checks.

The vulnerabilities of hourly wage earners have been further highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees at grocery stores and some large retailers, as well as delivery workers, were forced to work on the frontlines at the height of the outbreak without being offered paid sick leave or health insurance by their employers.

Some retailers temporarily boosted pay or offered bonuses. But workers-including those at Whole Foods, Instacart, and Amazon-maintained that this wasn't enough to put their health at risk. They staged walkouts to demand safer working conditions when much of the U.S. was under varying degrees of lockdown in March 2020.

The Typical Minimum-Wage Worker

In 2020, 73.3 million workers were paid hourly, representing more than half (55.5%) of all wage and salary workers in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Of that group, 247,000 earned $7.25 per hour. Almost three-quarters of workers earning the minimum wage or less in 2020 were employed in service jobs, mainly food preparation and serving related jobs.

About 2% and 1% of hourly paid women and men, respectively, were paid at or below the federal minimum, according to the BLS. Meanwhile, in terms of race, the BLS claimed that about 1% of hourly paid White, Asian, and Latinx workers earned the minimum wage or less, while about 2% of hourly paid Black workers earned the minimum wage or less.

If the Raise the Wage Act had passed and the minimum federal rate were raised to $15 by the end of 2024, almost 40 million workers would have seen an increase in pay, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Workers who would have benefited include:

38.6 million adults ages 18 and older

23.8 million full-time workers

23 million women

11.2 million parents

5.4 million single parents

The parents of 14.4 million children

Arguments for and Against Raising the Minimum Wage

Business groups such as the National Retail Federation (NRF) and the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) opposed the minimum-wage increase in the Raise the Wage Act, arguing that it was a one-size-fits-all approach that would force businesses to hire fewer people, slash growth plans, and/or raise their prices. In general, they believe that the act would negatively affect early-career and low-wage workers as well as causing harm to the economy in a variety of other ways.

In a report published in February 2021, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) concluded that when the minimum wage reaches $15 in 2025, it would benefit up to 27 million workers-significantly fewer than the Economic Policy Institute's estimate-but would cost an estimated 1.4 million jobs. The CBO also concluded that 0.9 million people would see their annual incomes rise above the poverty level.

Groups such as Small Business Majority, Main Street Alliance, and Business for a Fair Minimum Wage support a higher wage, believing it will inspire employee loyalty and boost workplace morale, which leads to more satisfied customers and an increase in consumer spending.

Some large U.S. employers that pay an hourly wage have established company-wide minimum wages in recent years. They include big retailers such as Amazon ($15 an hour), Target ($15 an hour), Costco (an average of $24 an hour for hourly workers), and Walmart (an average total compensation of $18 an hour, including benefits).

What Is the Minimum Wage?

The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour; however, many states, cities, and municipalities have a minimum wage that is higher than the federal minimum wage. Many companies have also implemented minimum wages higher than the federal minimum wage.

What Is the Minimum Wage in California?

The minimum wage in California is $15 for businesses with 26 or more employees. For businesses with 25 employees or less, it is $14.

What Is the Minimum Wage in Florida?

The minimum wage in Florida is $10. Each year, on Sept. 30, the minimum hourly wage in the Sunshine State is set to increase a dollar until it reaches $15 in 2026. After that point, the state will revert back to adjusting its minimum hourly wage based on inflation.

The Bottom Line

The minimum wage in the United States is no longer a living wage. Even though many states are paying more than this amount, minimum-wage earners continue to struggle to make ends meet.

At $7.25, the federal minimum wage hasn't kept up with the cost of living in more than half a century. But there is a growing movement among workers, policy analysts, state and city governments, and even some employers to raise it.

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Can a Family Survive on the US Minimum Wage?

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The federal minimum wage for nonexempt employees in the United States is $7.25. It is meant to be a living wage, but this isn't the case in practice. The hourly rate hasn't kept up with the cost of living since the late 1960s.

# data[].attributes.body
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52eec360e4b0c81c80749630/t/6240dc9367470403a4840279/1648417939448/AoW+2122_31+Federal+Min+Wage.pdf

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https://newsela.com/read/overview-minimum-wages/id/21173/

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https://newsela.com/read/procon-wages/id/2063/

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https://newsela.com/read/polarbears-environment/id/7699/

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Newsela | It's getting harder for polar bears to act naturally, even in nature

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Polar bears in the zoo do the same thing over and over, like swing their heads. Some say it's because they're confined. It's no picnic for those in the wild either, their habitat is shrinking.

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https://newsela.com/read/lib-procon-animal-testing/id/23099/

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https://www.procon.org/headlines/zoos-top-3-pros-and-cons/

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Zoos have existed in some form since at least 2500 BCE in Egypt and Mesopotamia, where records indicate giraffes, bears, dolphins, and other animals were kept by aristocrats. The oldest still operating zoo in the world, Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, opened in 1752.

The contemporary zoo evolved from 19th century European zoos. Largely modeled after the London Zoo in Regent's Park, these zoos were intended for "genteel amusement and edification," according to Emma Marris, environmental writer and Institute Fellow at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. As such, reptile houses, aviaries, and insectariums were added with animals grouped taxonomically, to move zoos beyond the spectacle of big, scary animals.

Carl Hegenbeck, a German exotic animal importer, introduced the modern model of more natural habitats for animals instead of obvious cages at his Animal Park in Hamburg in 1907. That change prompted the shift in zoo narrative from entertainment to the protection of animals. In the late 20th century, the narrative changed again to the conservation of animals to stave off extinction.

Controversy has historically surrounded zoos, from debates over displaying "exotic" humans in exhibits to zookeepers not knowing what to feed animals. A gorilla named Madame Ningo, the first gorilla to arrive in the United States in 1911 who was to live at the Bronx Zoo, was fed hot dinners and cooked meat despite gorillas being herbivores, for example.

The contemporary debate about zoos tends to focus on animal welfare on both sides, whether zoos protect animals or imprison them.

Should Zoos Exist?

Pro 1

Zoos educate the public about animals and conservation efforts.

As of Apr. 2021, there are 241 accredited zoos in the United States. The zoos attract over 181 million visitors annually, which is more than the approximately 131 million yearly spectators of the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB combined.

According to a study of 26 zoos worldwide published in Conservation Biology, visitors to zoos increased their knowledge of biodiversity and specific individual actions to protect biodiversity.

Robin Ganzert, PhD, President and CEO of American Humane, stated, "zoos provide people, especially impressionable children, with the opportunity to see these remarkable animals up close. People won't protect what they don't love, and they can't love what they don't know. No matter how closely programs like Planet Earth depict animals, nothing will match the bond of seeing them in real life. Just look at a child's eyes at the zoo when he or she encounters a tiger or similarly majestic animal."
Read More

Pro 2

Zoos produce helpful scientific research.

228 accredited zoos published 5,175 peer-reviewed manuscripts between 1993 and 2013. In 2017, 173 accredited US zoos spent $25 million on research, studied 485 species and subspecies of animals, worked on 1,280 research projects, and published 170 research manuscripts.

Because so many diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans, such as Ebola, Hantavirus, and the bird flu, zoos frequently conduct disease surveillance research in wildlife populations and their own captive populations that can lead to a direct impact on human health. For example, the veterinary staff at the Bronx Zoo in New York alerted health officials of the presence of West Nile Virus.
Read More

Pro 3

Zoos save species from extinction and other dangers.

Corroboree frogs, eastern bongos, regent honeyeaters, Panamanian golden frogs, Bellinger River snapping turtles, golden lion tamarins, and Amur leopards, among others, have been saved from extinction by zoos.

Zoos are also working to save polar bears, tigers, and wild African elephants from habitat loss, apes and rhinos from poachers, dolphins and whales from hunters, and bees and butterflies from population declines, among many other efforts to help many other animals.

Przewalski's horses, the last wild horses, were declared extinct in the wild in the 1960s when about 12 lived in zoos. By 2018, breeding programs at zoos increased the number to 2,400 horses, and 800 were reintroduced to the wild.
Read More

Con 1

Zoos don't educate the public enough to justify keeping animals captive.

A review published in Animal Studies Repository concluded, "to date there is no compelling or even particularly suggestive evidence for the claim that zoos and aquariums promote attitude change, education, and interest in conservation in visitors." Even a study widely cited to justify the argument that zoos educate the public stated, "there was no overall statistically significant change in understanding [of ecological concepts] seen" because visitors know a lot about ecology before going to the zoo.

TV shows such as Planet Earth bring wild animals into living rooms, allowing people to see the animals in their natural habitats without causing harm to animals such as the endangered snow leopard. Romesh Ranganathan, a British comedian, stated, "It still slightly surprises me that anybody thinks that we should have zoos at all. The animals always look miserable in captivity... [T]he idea that kids only get excited about things they can see in the flesh is ridiculous. My kids are obsessed with dinosaurs that no longer exist, and Skylanders, which have never existed."
Read More

Con 2

Zoos are detrimental to animals' physical health.

A study of 35 species of carnivores, including brown bears, cheetahs, and lions, found that zoo enclosures were too small for the animals to carry out their normal routines, which led to problems such as pacing and more infant deaths. Polar bears, for example, had an infant mortality rate of 65% due to small enclosures.

About 70% of adult male gorillas in North America have heart disease, the leading cause of death among gorillas in captivity, although the condition is almost completely absent in the wild. Other great apes have similar health problems in captivity.

Captive elephants live about half as long as wild elephants: 18.9 years v. 41.7 years for Asian elephants and 16.9 years v. 35.8 years for African elephants. Of 77 elephants in 13 zoos, 71 were overweight and spent 83% of their time indoors, contributing to early death.
Read More

Con 3

Zoo confinement is psychologically damaging to animals.

A study of captive chimpanzees found that "abnormal behaviour is endemic in the population," and includes behaviors such as eating feces, twitching, rocking back and forth, plucking hair, pacing, vomiting, and self-mutilation, among others. The study concluded that the cause of such behavior could be mental health issues.
Read More

Discussion Questions
1. Should zoos exist? If you believe they should, consider whether they should remain the same or change. If you believe they should not, consider how else to accomplish zoo's conservation efforts.

2. Extend the debate to other human-made animal habitats, such as safari parks and animal sanctuaries.

3. What other conservation efforts are important to saving wildlife? Explain your answer(s).
Take Action
1. Analyze " Eight Reasons Zoos Are Good for Conservation " from conservation scientist James Borrell.

2. Consider the pros and cons with a video from Above the Noise.

3. Explore conservationist Damian Aspinall's opinion that zoos are "outdated and cruel."

4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the "other side of the issue" now helps you better argue your position.

5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives.
Sources

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Proponents say zoos educate the public about animals. Opponents say wild animals should never be kept captive.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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https://newsela.com/read/ela-ban-zoos-student-opinion/id/2001009233/?search_id=55424aed-beae-425f-bf59-aa1550f712b5

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https://theweek.com/articles/466852/7-health-benefits-playing-video-games

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Your parents may have tried to kick you off your Super Nintendo just about every time you sat down in front of it because they were concerned about how it might affect your long-term health. Plenty of studies have shown that games that don't require a lot of physical movement can have an adverse effect on children as they grow older. But perhaps counter-intuitively, there have also been several studies touting the health benefits of gaming.

1. Video games are therapeutic for children with chronic illnesses
The University of Utah released a study last year that examined the effects of regular gaming on children diagnosed with illnesses like autism, depression, and Parkinson's disease. Kids who played certain games, including one designed just for the study, showed signs of improvement in "resilience, empowerment, and a 'fighting spirit.'" Researchers believe the games' ability to act on "neuronal mechanisms that activate positive emotions and the reward system" helped improve kids' demeanors as they faced the daily challenges of their illnesses.

2. Video games improve preschoolers' motor skills
Letting a 4-year-old sit in front of a TV with a game controller might not seem like the most productive use of her time. But researchers from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, would disagree. Their study examined the development of 53 preschool-aged children, and found that those who played "interactive games" had better "object control motor skills" than those who didn't. It's not clear, though, whether children with better-than-average motor skills tend to gravitate toward video games in the first place.

3. Video games reduce stress and depression
2009's Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine included a study that found that gamers who suffered from mental health issues such as stress and depression were able to vent their frustration and aggression by playing video games - and showed a noted improvement. The study hypothesized that games gave certain "Type A" personalities time to relax in "a state of relative mindlessness" that allowed them to avoid reaching "a certain level of stressful arousal" as they tried to relax.

4. Video games provide pain relief
Video games don't just provide relief from emotional pain. They can also help those who are suffering from physical pain. Psychologists at the University of Washington developed a game that helps hospital patients suffering from immense physical pain by using an age-old mental trick: distraction. The virtual reality game "Snow World" put patients in an arctic wonderland in which they throw an endless arsenal of snowballs at a series of targets, such as penguins and snowmen. Military hospitals found the experience helped soldiers recovering from their battlefield wounds. The soldiers who played "Snow World" required less pain medicine during their recuperation.

5. Video games can improve your vision
Mom may have warned you that sitting in front of the TV wasn't good for your eyes. But one developmental psychologist found it could actually be beneficial to your vision. Dr. Daphen Maurer of the Visual Development Lab of Ontario's McMaster University made a surprising discovery: People suffering from cataracts can improve their vision by playing first-person shooter games like Medal of Honor and Call of Duty. She believes these games are so fast-paced that they require an extreme amount of attention, training the visually impaired to view things more sharply. They can also produce higher levels of dopamine and adrenaline that "potentially may make the brain more plastic," she said.

6. Video games improve your decision-making skills
Most video games require fast reactions and split-second decisions that can mean the difference between virtual life and virtual death. Cognitive neuroscientists at the University of Rochester in New York found these games give players' brains plenty of practice for making decisions in the real world. Researchers suggest that action-oriented games act as a simulator for the decision-making process by giving players several chances to infer information from their surroundings and forcing them to react accordingly.

7. Video games keep you happy in old age
Researchers from North Carolina State University looked closely at our aging population to see if there was a link between playing video games and mental well-being - i.e. "happiness." They found that senior citizens who said they played video games - even occasionally - reported "higher levels of happiness, or well-being," says Rick Nauert at PsychCentral. "Those who did not play video games reported more negative emotions" and were more likely to be depressed. It's unclear what exactly is behind this link - or if the relationship is even causal.

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7 health benefits of playing video games

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your parents may have tried to kick you off your Super Nintendo just about every time you sat down in front of it because they were concerned about how it might affect your long-term health. Plenty of studies have shown that games that don't require a lot of physical movement can have an adverse effect on children as they grow older.

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https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/us/esports-what-is-video-game-professional-league-madden-trnd/index.html

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computer science and information technology

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What is eSports? A look at an explosive billion-dollar industry | CNN

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The profile of competitive gaming is rising worldwide, but there are still plenty who have never heard of it.

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You love your video games, but how much is too much? Find out in this article for kids.

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https://newsela.com/read/esports-popular/id/12132/

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https://newsela.com/read/girl-esports-program/id/2000001725/

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Newsela | Program uses esports to connect girls to science, tech jobs

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Program hopes to attract more girls to esports competition.

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https://newsela.com/read/benchmark-7-cheap-clothing-workers/id/37559/

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Newsela | Behind a $20 shirt might be a worker making only a few dollars an hour

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That inexpensive Forever 21 top was likely made by garment workers struggling for fair wages.

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https://newsela.com/read/how-to-eat-for-your-brain/id/2001016501/

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela | First-grader's letter asking Old Navy for girls' jeans to have real pockets goes viral

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Frustrated that her jeans had no pockets, a first-grader wrote a suggestion to Old Navy. Her letter went viral.

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https://newsela.com/read/american-sneaker-factories/id/23365/

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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
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https://junior.scholastic.com/issues/2017-18/090417/the-high-cost-of-fast-fashion.html#1060L

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The latest trends have never been more affordable—but all those cheap clothes come at a price for impoverished workers around the world

Young women hunch over sewing machines in a windowless workroom in the Asian nation of Bangladesh. Elbow to elbow in the stifling heat, they assemble jackets. Together, the women must sew hundreds of jackets an hour, more than 1,000 a day. They are paid less than $3 a day for their work.

Just a week or two later, these same jackets will be fall’s hottest back-to-school item, selling to teens for $14.99 each across the United States.

Young women hunch over sewing machines to make jackets. They are packed into a hot workroom in the Asian nation of Bangladesh. Together, the women must sew hundreds of jackets an hour. That is more than 1,000 a day. They are paid less than $3 a day for their work.

Just a week or two later, these same jackets will be fall’s hottest back-to-school item. They will sell to teens for $14.99 each across the U.S.

The jackets are just one example of what is known as fast fashion: trendy clothes that are designed and manufactured as quickly as possible, then sold to consumers at extremely low prices.

New fast fashion looks arrive in stores weekly or even daily. They cost so little that many people can afford to fill their closets with new outfits several times a year—then toss them the minute they go out of style.

Clothing chains such as H&M and Zara first popularized fast fashion in the early 2000s. The retail model has since spread throughout the entire fashion industry. As a result, global clothing production has more than tripled since 2000. The fashion industry now churns out more than 150 billion garments annually.

Fast fashion items may not cost you much at the cash register, but they do come at a serious price: Every day, tens of millions of people in developing countries, some of them just children, work long hours in dangerous conditions to make them.

The trend also hurts the environment. From manufacturing garments with toxic chemicals to the fuel burned to transport the clothing around the globe, the fashion industry has become the world’s second-largest polluter, after the oil industry. Plus, millions of tons of discarded clothing pile up in landfills each year.

“A lot of what we’re throwing away hasn’t even been worn that many times,” says Elizabeth Cline, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion. “Clothing has become a really cheap form of entertainment.”

The jackets are an example of fast fashion. Fast fashion refers to trendy clothes designed and made as quickly as possible. These items are then sold to consumers at very low prices.

New fast fashion arrives in stores weekly or daily. It costs so little that many people can afford to fill their closets with new outfits several times a year. People then toss the clothes the minute they go out of style.

Clothing chains such as H&M and Zara first made fast fashion popular in the early 2000s. The retail model has since spread throughout the fashion industry. As a result, global clothing production has more than tripled since 2000. The fashion industry now makes more than 150 billion garments each year.

Fast fashion items may not cost much money, but they come at a serious price to workers. Tens of millions of people in developing countries work long hours in dangerous conditions to make them. Some of these workers include children.

The trend also hurts the environment. Garments are made with toxic chemicals. Also, fuel is burned to transport the clothing around the globe. As a result, the fashion industry has become the world’s second-largest polluter, after the oil industry. Plus, millions of tons of trashed clothing pile up in landfills yearly.

“A lot of what we’re throwing away hasn’t even been worn that many times,” says Elizabeth Cline. Cline is the author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion. “Clothing has become a really cheap form of entertainment.”

A CHANGING INDUSTRY

Until the 1970s, most apparel worn by Americans was made in the U.S. That’s when clothing production, like a lot of manufacturing (including cars and electronics), began moving overseas, where labor costs were lower. As recently as 1990, half the clothing sold in the U.S. was made here. Today, just 2 percent is.

Most American clothing companies now manufacture their merchandise overseas, mainly in developing countries in Asia (see map, “Where Your Clothes Come From,” below ). Workers there earn a fraction of what U.S. workers make—and have fewer protections. The lower labor costs translate to lower prices for shoppers (who then buy more clothing) and higher profits for retailers. That has helped make fashion a $3 trillion global industry.

Until the 1970s, most apparel worn by Americans was made in the U.S. That is when a lot of manufacturing moved overseas due to lower labor costs. As recently as 1990, half the clothing sold in the U.S. was made here. Today, just 2 percent is.

Most American clothing companies now manufacture their merchandise overseas. They mainly do so in developing countries in Asia (see map, “Where Your Clothes Come From,” below). Workers there earn a lot less than what U.S. workers make. They also have fewer protections. The lower labor costs mean lower prices for shoppers. Shoppers then buy more clothing. This leads to higher profits for retailers. This cycle has helped make fashion a $3 trillion global industry.

DEADLY CONDITIONS

Today, many of the world’s 75 million garment workers live in China and Bangladesh, two of the top producers of ready-made garments. Most workers are females in their teens or younger. “They’re sometimes the first one in their families to have a real job, so the family is eager to get them into the factories as quickly as they can,” says Michael Posner, an ethics professor at New York University. “It’s a very tough existence.”

Indeed, garment workers often toil in poorly ventilated rooms that are thick with fumes from the chemicals used to manufacture and dye clothes. Workers earn barely enough to survive. And if they dare miss a day because they are sick, they risk being fired.

Today, many of the world’s 75 million garment workers live in China and Bangladesh. Those nations are two of the top producers of ready-made garments. Most workers are females in their teens or younger. “They’re sometimes the first one in their families to have a real job, so the family is eager to get them into the factories as quickly as they can,” says Michael Posner. Posner is an ethics professor at New York University. “It’s a very tough existence.”

Indeed, garment workers face harsh conditions, such as poorly ventilated workrooms that are filled with fumes from chemicals used to make and dye clothes. Workers earn barely enough money to survive. If they dare miss a day because they are sick, they risk being fired.

20 billion:
The number of garments
Americans buy in a year

For Taslima Aktar, that wasn’t an option. The 23-year-old couldn’t afford to lose her job at the Windy Apparels factory in Bangladesh. So when her manager refused to give her time off to see a doctor last year about a persistent fever and cough, she accepted it.

Weeks later, Aktar passed out at work. After she was revived, her boss sent her back to her sewing machine. Shortly afterward, Aktar’s heart stopped and she died.

“We know the same thing can happen any day, to any of us,” says one of Aktar’s co-workers, who told her story to the news website Slate.

For Taslima Aktar, that was not an option. The 23-year-old could not afford to lose her job at the Windy Apparels factory in Bangladesh. She got sick last year, but her manager would not give her time off. So she kept working.

Weeks later, Aktar passed out in the factory. After she was revived, her boss sent her back to her sewing machine. Shortly afterward, Aktar’s heart stopped and she died.

“We know the same thing can happen any day, to any of us,” one of Aktar’s co-workers told Slate, a news website.

A TRAGEDY SPARKS AWARENESS

Many people didn’t give much thought to how or where their clothing was made until April 24, 2013. That’s when Bangladesh’s Rana Plaza factory building collapsed. The deadliest accident in the history of the garment industry, it killed 1,100 workers and injured 2,500 others. The building’s factories had been making clothing for global brands including Benetton, Joe Fresh, and Mango.

After the accident, many big brands pledged to improve garment factory conditions. About 200 major clothing companies partnered to create factory oversight programs in Bangladesh. In recent years, these programs have trained about 2 million workers in safety procedures. The companies have also hired engineers to inspect the garment factories that produce their clothes.

In southern China too, many factories now offer safer conditions and better wages than they did a decade ago. In some areas, the monthly minimum wage for garment workers reached $312 last year. That’s a 42 percent increase over the previous year’s minimum wage.

Many people did not give much thought to how or where their clothing was made until April 24, 2013. That is when Bangladesh’s Rana Plaza factory building collapsed. It killed 1,100 workers and injured 2,500 others. It is the deadliest accident in the history of the garment industry. The building’s factories had been making clothing for global brands like Benetton, Joe Fresh, and Mango.

After the accident, many big brands promised to improve factory conditions. About 200 major clothing companies partnered to create factory oversight programs in Bangladesh. In recent years, these programs have trained about 2 million workers in safety procedures. The companies have also hired engineers to inspect the factories.

In southern China too, many factories now offer safer conditions and better wages than they did a decade ago. In some areas, the monthly minimum wage for garment workers reached $312 last year. That is a 42 percent increase over the previous year’s minimum wage.

SLOW IMPROVEMENTS

Better working conditions and wages come at a price, however. Some factories in Bangladesh have had to reduce how much they produce per day to afford higher pay for employees and building repairs. That means the factories are less able to fill the often-massive orders from big brands. As a result, some experts say, these clothing companies may eventually shift their production to even poorer countries with fewer regulations.

Other factories can’t afford to make the major structural upgrades needed for them to be safe. (Of the 2,000 Bangladeshi factories that have been inspected so far, only 79 had passed final inspection as of March 2017.)

That’s one reason unsafe working conditions persist. Last year, a garment factory fire in India killed 13 people. Another fire this past June injured more than 20 knitwear factory workers in Bangladesh. Some jumped out of third-story windows to escape.

Better working conditions and wages come at a price. In order to afford higher pay for employees and building repairs, some factories in Bangladesh have had to reduce how much they produce per day. That means the factories are less able to fill the orders they receive from big brands. Experts predict that these clothing companies may shift their production to poorer countries. There, they will have fewer regulations, so they can make more clothing.

Other factories cannot afford to make the major structural upgrades needed for them to be safe. (Of the 2,000 Bangladeshi factories that have been inspected so far, only 79 had passed final inspection as of March 2017.)

That is one reason unsafe working conditions still exist. Last year, a garment factory fire in India killed 13 people. Another fire this past June injured more than 20 knitwear factory workers in Bangladesh. Some jumped out of third-story windows to escape.

32 cents:
The hourly minimum wage
in Bangladesh

And even if the buildings do pass inspection, the improvements often do little to change daily life for the people who labor in them.

“We still don’t have any security in our lives,” a garment worker in Bangladesh told Slate. “Even if I am on my deathbed, they will ask me to finish making two more pieces before I die. We are nothing but machines to them.”

In Bangladesh, workers who have banded together to demand better treatment have suffered severe consequences. Last December, 1,500 workers were fired or suspended after taking part in protests. Dozens more were arrested during the demonstrations.

Even if the buildings do pass inspection, the improvements often do little to change daily life for the workers.

“We still don’t have any security in our lives,” a garment worker in Bangladesh told Slate. “Even if I am on my deathbed, they will ask me to finish making two more pieces before I die. We are nothing but machines to them.”

In Bangladesh, workers came together to demand better treatment. But they faced serious consequences. Last December, 1,500 workers were fired or suspended after taking part in protests. Dozens of others were arrested during the demonstrations.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Humans aren’t the only ones suffering for fast fashion. It also takes a toll on the environment. For example, the industry consumes huge amounts of water and other natural resources. Producing enough cotton for one pair of jeans requires roughly 1,800 gallons of water. That’s the equivalent of about 106 showers.

Fast fashion also causes pollution. Take polyester, the most widely used synthetic fiber, which is made from petroleum. Manufacturing it releases dangerous gases into the air. Meanwhile, farming cotton accounts for a quarter of all the pesticides used in the U.S. (Our nation sends about 70 percent of the cotton it grows overseas, where it’s turned into clothing.) Some of those pesticides can cause asthma and other health problems. The chemicals also pollute freshwater and wells near farms.

Humans are not the only ones suffering for fast fashion. It also hurts the environment. For example, the industry uses huge amounts of water and other natural resources. Producing enough cotton for one pair of jeans requires roughly 1,800 gallons of water. That is the same as about 106 showers.

Fast fashion also causes pollution. For example, polyester is the most widely used synthetic fiber. It is made from petroleum. Manufacturing polyester releases dangerous gases into the air. Meanwhile, farming cotton accounts for a quarter of all the pesticides used in the U.S. Some of those pesticides can cause asthma and other health problems. The chemicals also pollute fresh water and wells near farms.

The damage doesn’t end once clothing has been made. The average American trashes about 76 pounds of clothes and shoes every year. Most of that is burned or piled in landfills, where polyester and other synthetic fibers can take hundreds of years to break down. Discarded clothing can also contain chemicals left over from the manufacturing process, which can spread into groundwater.

“A lot of the problems in the fashion industry are things that are happening in other places: air and water pollution in China, poverty and low wages in Bangladesh,” notes Cline. “[But] the waste is happening in our own backyard.”

The damage does not end once clothing has been made. The average American trashes about 76 pounds of clothes and shoes yearly. Most of that is burned or piled in landfills. In these landfills, polyester and other synthetic fibers can take hundreds of years to break down. Trashed clothing can also contain chemicals left over from the manufacturing process. These chemicals can spread into groundwater.

“A lot of the problems in the fashion industry are things that are happening in other places: air and water pollution in China, poverty and low wages in Bangladesh,” notes Cline. “[But] the waste is happening in our own backyard.”

MOVING FASHION FORWARD

As more people have become aware of the ugly side of fast fashion, the push for ethically made, sustainable clothing has grown.

In the U.S., hundreds of new businesses are creating garments out of recycled or organic fabrics. These companies get their materials from American factories, where they can better monitor working conditions.

Big brands are trying to be more eco-conscious as well. H&M, for example, offers store credit to customers who recycle their unwanted clothing at its retail locations.

For now, though, eco-friendly and ethically made garments are often harder to find and more costly than other fashions. That won’t be the case for long, Cline predicts. “I think we’re going to see big brands become leaders in sustainable clothes and make them accessible and more affordable,” she says.

But experts agree it will take more than just efforts by clothing companies to remedy the problems of fast fashion. Local factory owners, global retailers, and Western governments all must play a part, says Posner: “You need a shared model where everybody’s pitching in.”

That includes teen consumers, to whom much of fast fashion is marketed. If young shoppers educate themselves about where and how their clothes are made, and think carefully about how much they buy, it can make a real difference, experts say (see “How to Help,” below).

“It’s everybody’s problem,” says Posner. “And it’s everybody’s responsibility to come together and solve it.”

More people are becoming aware of the ugly side of fast fashion. As a result, the push for ethically made, sustainable clothing has grown.

In the U.S., hundreds of new businesses are creating garments out of recycled or organic fabrics. These companies get their materials from American factories, where they can better monitor working conditions.

Big brands are trying to be more eco-conscious as well. For example, H&M offers store credit to customers who recycle their unwanted clothing at its retail locations.

However, eco-friendly and ethically made garments are often harder to find and more costly than other fashions. That will not be the case for long, Cline predicts. “I think we’re going to see big brands become leaders in sustainable clothes and make them accessible and more affordable,” she says.

But experts agree it will take more than just efforts by clothing companies to solve the problems of fast fashion. Local factory owners, global retailers, and Western governments all must play a part, says Posner. “You need a shared model where everybody’s pitching in.”

That includes teen consumers, to whom much of fast fashion is marketed. If young shoppers educate themselves, it can make a huge difference. Young shoppers can learn where and how their clothes are made. They can also think carefully about how much they buy (see “How to Help”).

“It’s everybody’s problem,” says Posner. “And it’s everybody’s responsibility to come together and solve it.”

CORE QUESTION: What is being done to solve the problems created by fast fashion? Cite evidence from the text in your answer.

The Triangle Factory Disaster

The fire that broke out on March 20, 1911, at the Triangle Waist Company factory in New York City killed 146 people—and had an enormous impact on the nation.

Fueled by oily floors and bins of flammable material, the fire spread quickly through the factory, where young immigrants were making shirts. The building had no sprinkler system and many workers burned to death behind locked exit doors.

The Triangle factory fire was one of the deadliest workplace disasters in American history, and it prompted swift changes. Within a few years, New York had passed 36 safety laws, spurring other states to do the same. By 1938, Congress had banned child labor, set a national minimum wage, and guaranteed overtime pay. Those laws set important standards for workers in the garment industry and others in the United States, but many other countries have yet to establish these sorts of labor regulations.

The fire that broke out on March 20, 1911, at the Triangle Waist Company factory in New York City killed 146 people—and had an enormous impact on the nation.

Fueled by oily floors and bins of flammable material, the fire spread quickly through the factory, where young immigrants were making shirts. The building had no sprinkler system and many workers burned to death behind locked exit doors.

The Triangle factory fire was one of the deadliest workplace disasters in American history, and it prompted swift changes. Within a few years, New York had passed 36 safety laws, spurring other states to do the same. By 1938, Congress had banned child labor, set a national minimum wage, and guaranteed overtime pay. Those laws set important standards for workers in the garment industry and others in the United States, but many other countries have yet to establish these sorts of labor regulations.

Fast Fashion’s Upside?

The clothing industry offers people in developing countries a rare chance to find jobs—especially women. In Bangladesh, garment factories helped lift more than 20 million people out of extreme poverty from 1991 to 2010. Though the work is far from ideal, it’s better than nothing, Posner says. “I think it’s really important that these young people have jobs.”

The clothing industry offers people in developing countries a rare chance to find jobs—especially women. In Bangladesh, garment factories helped lift more than 20 million people out of extreme poverty from 1991 to 2010. Though the work is far from ideal, it’s better than nothing, Posner says. “I think it’s really important that these young people have jobs.”

How to Help

Trade, Don’t Toss
Instead of buying new clothes, swap with friends
or shop at secondhand stores to refresh your wardrobe.

Invest More
If you need something new, consider spending more
to buy ethically sourced, sustainable clothes.

Raise Awareness
Urge brands to be transparent about how their items are made.
Take a photo of your clothing label and post it on social media
using the hashtag #whomademyclothes.

Trade, Don’t Toss
Instead of buying new clothes, swap with friends
or shop at secondhand stores to refresh your wardrobe.

Invest More
If you need something new, consider spending more
to buy ethically sourced, sustainable clothes.

Raise Awareness
Urge brands to be transparent about how their items are made.
Take a photo of your clothing label and post it on social media
using the hashtag #whomademyclothes.

Where Your Clothes Come From

Imports are goods brought into a country to be sold, while exports are goods shipped to other countries. More than three-quarters of all clothing imported into the U.S. in 2016 was made in the Asian countries shown on the map below. Study it, then answer the questions.

Imports are goods brought into a country to be sold, while exports are goods shipped to other countries. More than three-quarters of all clothing imported into the U.S. in 2016 was made in the Asian countries shown on the map below. Study it, then answer the questions.

MAP SKILLS

1.  What is the capital of Bangladesh?
2.  What is the value of the clothing that Bangladesh exported to the U.S. in 2016?
3.  Which countries exported more than $4 billion of clothing each to the U.S.?
4. Which major exporter is farthest south?
5.  Which of the labeled countries was the biggest exporter of clothing to the U.S.?
6.  How much more did that country export to the U.S. than the country in second place?
7.  Which labeled country exported the least?
8.  Which countries exported less than $1 billion?
9.  The equator runs through which of the labeled countries?
10.  Which labeled countries have coastline on the Arabian Sea?

1.  What is the capital of Bangladesh?
2.  What is the value of the clothing that Bangladesh exported to the U.S. in 2016?
3.  Which countries exported more than $4 billion of clothing each to the U.S.?
4. Which major exporter is farthest south?
5.  Which of the labeled countries was the biggest exporter of clothing to the U.S.?
6.  How much more did that country export to the U.S. than the country in second place?
7.  Which labeled country exported the least?
8.  Which countries exported less than $1 billion?
9.  The equator runs through which of the labeled countries?
10.  Which labeled countries have coastline on the Arabian Sea?

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Cheap clothes come at a big price for impoverished workers around the world.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Transcript of "Don't eat the marshmallow!"

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TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript: In this short talk from TED U, Joachim de Posada shares a landmark experiment on delayed gratification -- and how it can predict future success. With priceless video of kids trying their hardest not to eat the marshmallow.

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https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance/transcript

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Grit: The power of passion and perseverance

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Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of “grit” as a predictor of success.

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W e created this SUCCEED IN LIFE infographic to inspire you and your clients. Success is not just about achieving goals or material success - there are many ways we can succeed!

NOTE: Want to share JUST the infographic (and not the whole article)? Right-click (or Ctrl+Click on a Mac) to save the full-size infographic below to your device, then simply share the saved infographic direct from your device!

Which of these 12 Tips on How to Succeed Do You Like Best?

My favourite is HOLD TIGHT TO YOUR VALUES! Because what is success if not living a life that aligns with our values?

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EASY: Ask fans & followers, "Which of the 12 tips most inspires or resonates with YOU?"

MEDIUM: Share the graphic and expand on your favourite tip saying how you'd help a client be more successful!

CHALLENGE: Take each tip in turn, write a few sentences developing each tip, then share daily for 12 days to inspire your fans to hire you!

If you liked this Succeed in Life Infographic, you may also like:
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Contributing Author:

Emma-Louise Elsey has been coaching since 2003 and is the Founder of The Coaching Tools Company and Fierce Kindness.com. She's passionate about coaching and personal development. Originally a project and relationship manager for Fortune 500 companies she combined her love of coaching, creativity and systems to create over 100 brandable coaching tools, forms and exercises including 30+ completely free coaching tools. She now serves coaches and the coaching world through her exclusive newsletter for coaches, Coaches Helping Coaches Facebook Group and many other great tools, resources and ideas for your coaching toolbox. The Coaching Tools Company is an official ICF Business Solutions Partner.
Learn more about Emma-Louise & see all their articles here >>

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Succeed in Life INFOGRAPHIC with 12 Tips on How to Succeed!

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W e created this SUCCEED IN LIFE infographic to inspire you and your clients. Success is not just about achieving goals or material success - there are many ways we can succeed! NOTE: Want to share JUST the infographic (and not the whole article)?

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