npr--2020-02-17--The WHO Knows Insulin Is Too Expensive. How It Plans To Drive Down The Price

The WHO Knows Insulin Is Too Expensive .
How It Plans To Drive Down The Price Johnpeter Mwolo was 15 when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes .
His body , unable to produce the hormone critical for regulating blood sugar , would now rely on manufactured insulin .
He learned to give himself the treatment — four injections a day .
But as he was growing up in Tanzania , insulin was expensive and not always available .
Mwolo resorted to rationing his insulin , sharing a vial with his cousin , who also had Type 1 diabetes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two people , '' he says .
`` Many of the necessities that we are supposed to have are not there . ''
It 's a global problem that the World Health Organization is now working to address .
In November , the WHO launched a pilot program to boost the availability of insulin worldwide .
The idea is to work with insulin manufacturers to increase the global supply — and in the process , potentially drive down the price of the treatment .
Since then , seven pharmaceutical companies have shown interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The simple fact is , that the prevalence of diabetes is growing , the amount of insulin available to treat diabetes is too low , the prices are too high , so we need to do something , '' said Emer Cooke , the head of regulation of medicines and health technologies for the WHO , in a statement .
Insulin is one of the world 's essential medicines .
For Type 1 diabetes patients , insulin is a rare example of a medication that 's absolutely necessary to live .
Without insulin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which can lead to acute life-threatening complications , such as nerve damage or eye damage and , in the worst case , death .
However , 50 % of the estimated 100 million people who are in need of insulin globally do not have reliable access , meaning either they ca n't afford insulin or it 's not available .
This is according to a 2017 study led by Health Action International , an independent research group .
The price of insulin is especially prohibitive in the developing world , where diabetes is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to afford the medication to supply hospitals and pharmacies .
A 2010 study in Lancet found that 10 % of Mozambique 's expenditure on medications was for insulin .
These costs are often passed on to consumers , who also struggle to pay for the treatment .
A WHO survey of 24 mostly low- and middle-income countries found that a month 's supply of insulin costs more than a fifth of take-home pay for a worker in Accra , Ghana .
Mwolo , now 29 and working as a diabetes advocate for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble paying for his diabetes treatment .
He sends money to his family in Kenya to purchase a popular brand of insulin for him called Lantus , manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Sanofi .
This offers a small savings of 20,000 Tanzanian shillings , about $ 9 .
Globally , the list price for insulin varies by country — and limited market competition keeps the prices high , according to Médecins Sans Frontières , which has been campaigning to improve access to the treatment .
`` You have the three big pharmaceutical companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is unprecedented when you look at how medicine markets work around the world , '' says Christa Cepuch , a regional pharmacist for MSF .
The top insulin manufacturers are Eli Lilly and Company , Novo Nordisk and Sanofi .
Together , they control 96 % of insulin by volume worldwide — and can choose to raise prices when they want to .
In the U.S. , for example , the list price of a 10-mL vial of Humalog , manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company , went from $ 35 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 .
The WHO 's pilot program is designed to put non-brand versions of insulin on the market — geared toward the developing world .
It centers on a process called `` prequalification , '' which the WHO developed in 2001 .
It 's a system that allows drug manufacturers to get a stamp of approval from the WHO .
Many countries rely on regulatory bodies to help them decide which drugs to buy .
The U.S. , for example , has the Food and Drug Administration .
But many countries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't have strong equivalents .
Prequalification takes out the guesswork of what 's safe for governments , U.N. agencies and medical charities to buy .
`` [ It ] is a certification of good manufacturing practices .
It 's about making purchasers aware of multiple products that are available in the market , '' says Amanda Glassman , executive vice president of the Center for Global Development , whose research focuses on global health policy and costs .
Once manufacturers apply for prequalification , it takes several months for the WHO to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspectors looks into how the drug is made and the science behind the manufacturing .
`` They have to show that their products are safe .
They have to show that their products are effective , '' says the WHO 's Cooke , while speaking to NPR from her office in Geneva .
The drugs , once prequalified , are publicly listed online .
Buyers can then procure those drugs directly from the manufacturer .
While it 's not known what the prices will be , the WHO expects they will be lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many of the companies that have expressed interest are smaller and , to compete , will likely set low prices to reach more buyers .
Part of the WHO 's confidence in this program comes from previous experience .
It has prequalified other drugs before , particularly those used to treat tuberculosis , malaria and HIV .
In the case of HIV medication , it lowered prices significantly .
`` When we opened prequalification to generic manufacturers [ of HIV antiretrovirals ] , the price went down after three years , from $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 300 per person per year , '' Cooke says .
She hopes to repeat history with insulin .
Glassman does not consider prequalification a silver bullet .
In a free market , after all , buyers always have a choice .
`` [ A purchaser ] could also just say , ' I 'm going to buy from any manufacturer that the U.S. FDA registers .
Or the best regulatory agency in India .
You do n't necessarily have to go with [ insulins that are ] WHO prequalified . ''
Those insulins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budgets of low- and middle-income countries facing shortages .
`` In those countries , having an alternative WHO-certified supply for these products really matters to ensuring access and affordability , '' says Rena Conti , associate professor at Boston University 's Questrom School of Business and a researcher in drug pricing .
Cooke did not disclose the names of the seven companies that have approached the WHO about this program — a critical first step to participating .
And it 's unclear which will actually go through the prequalification program .
But she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` small- to middle-sized companies . ''
One of the companies , however , is among the `` big three '' ( Eli Lilly and Company , Sanofi and Novo Nordisk ) , but the WHO would not confirm which .
The WHO hopes more companies hop on board .
`` If we got five additional companies , we would be very pleased , '' Cooke says .
The WHO is holding a big meeting of insulin stakeholders in March .
`` It will be a meeting looking at the overall insulin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what else we should be doing , '' Cooke says .
The goal , Cooke says , is to have prequalified insulin from the WHO on the market in two years .
Meanwhile , groups like MSF ca n't wait to get their hands on this lower-cost insulin .
Cepuch has been advocating for the WHO to prequalify insulin for some time .
The majority of diabetes patients served by MSF are in Jordan , Lebanon and Iraq , including refugees fleeing Syria .
`` These are really vulnerable populations on the move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen so many people who have had to make the difficult decision to ration their insulin . ''

The WHO Knows Insulin Is Too Expensive. How It Plans To Drive Down The Price
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mehedi Hasan/NurPhoto via Getty Images Mehedi Hasan/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Johnpeter Mwolo was 15 when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
His body, unable to produce the hormone critical for regulating blood sugar, would now rely on manufactured insulin. He learned to give himself the treatment — four injections a day.
But as he was growing up in Tanzania, insulin was expensive and not always available. Mwolo resorted to rationing his insulin, sharing a vial with his cousin, who also had Type 1 diabetes. "It was one vial to two people," he says. "Many of the necessities that we are supposed to have are not there."
It's a global problem that the World Health Organization is now working to address. In November, the WHO launched a pilot program to boost the availability of insulin worldwide. The idea is to work with insulin manufacturers to increase the global supply — and in the process, potentially drive down the price of the treatment. Since then, seven pharmaceutical companies have shown interest in participating in the program.
New discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, every weekday. Short Wave is science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Subscribe to the podcast, and follow @NPRScience on Twitter.
"The simple fact is, that the prevalence of diabetes is growing, the amount of insulin available to treat diabetes is too low, the prices are too high, so we need to do something," said Emer Cooke, the head of regulation of medicines and health technologies for the WHO, in a statement.
Insulin is one of the world's essential medicines. For Type 1 diabetes patients, insulin is a rare example of a medication that's absolutely necessary to live. Without insulin, sugar in the blood accumulates, which can lead to acute life-threatening complications, such as nerve damage or eye damage and, in the worst case, death.
However, 50% of the estimated 100 million people who are in need of insulin globally do not have reliable access, meaning either they can't afford insulin or it's not available. This is according to a 2017 study led by Health Action International, an independent research group.
The price of insulin is especially prohibitive in the developing world, where diabetes is growing rapidly — and governments are struggling to afford the medication to supply hospitals and pharmacies. A 2010 study in Lancet found that 10% of Mozambique's expenditure on medications was for insulin.
These costs are often passed on to consumers, who also struggle to pay for the treatment. A WHO survey of 24 mostly low- and middle-income countries found that a month's supply of insulin costs more than a fifth of take-home pay for a worker in Accra, Ghana.
Mwolo, now 29 and working as a diabetes advocate for the nonprofit T1International in Tanzania, still has trouble paying for his diabetes treatment. He sends money to his family in Kenya to purchase a popular brand of insulin for him called Lantus, manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Sanofi. This offers a small savings of 20,000 Tanzanian shillings, about $9.
Globally, the list price for insulin varies by country — and limited market competition keeps the prices high, according to Médecins Sans Frontières, which has been campaigning to improve access to the treatment.
"You have the three big pharmaceutical companies that dominate the global insulin market, which is unprecedented when you look at how medicine markets work around the world," says Christa Cepuch, a regional pharmacist for MSF.
The top insulin manufacturers are Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi. Together, they control 96% of insulin by volume worldwide — and can choose to raise prices when they want to. In the U.S., for example, the list price of a 10-mL vial of Humalog, manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company, went from $35 in 2001 to about $275 per vial in 2017.
The WHO's pilot program is designed to put non-brand versions of insulin on the market — geared toward the developing world. It centers on a process called "prequalification," which the WHO developed in 2001. It's a system that allows drug manufacturers to get a stamp of approval from the WHO.
Many countries rely on regulatory bodies to help them decide which drugs to buy. The U.S., for example, has the Food and Drug Administration. But many countries, especially those in the developing world, don't have strong equivalents.
Prequalification takes out the guesswork of what's safe for governments, U.N. agencies and medical charities to buy. "[It] is a certification of good manufacturing practices. It's about making purchasers aware of multiple products that are available in the market," says Amanda Glassman, executive vice president of the Center for Global Development, whose research focuses on global health policy and costs.
Once manufacturers apply for prequalification, it takes several months for the WHO to evaluate their drug. A team of inspectors looks into how the drug is made and the science behind the manufacturing. "They have to show that their products are safe. They have to show that their products are effective," says the WHO's Cooke, while speaking to NPR from her office in Geneva.
The drugs, once prequalified, are publicly listed online. Buyers can then procure those drugs directly from the manufacturer.
While it's not known what the prices will be, the WHO expects they will be lower than the prices for brand-name insulins. Many of the companies that have expressed interest are smaller and, to compete, will likely set low prices to reach more buyers.
Part of the WHO's confidence in this program comes from previous experience. It has prequalified other drugs before, particularly those used to treat tuberculosis, malaria and HIV. In the case of HIV medication, it lowered prices significantly.
"When we opened prequalification to generic manufacturers [of HIV antiretrovirals], the price went down after three years, from $10,000 per person per year to $300 per person per year," Cooke says. She hopes to repeat history with insulin.
Glassman does not consider prequalification a silver bullet. In a free market, after all, buyers always have a choice. "[A purchaser] could also just say, 'I'm going to buy from any manufacturer that the U.S. FDA registers. Or the best regulatory agency in India. You don't necessarily have to go with [insulins that are] WHO prequalified."
Those insulins, however, have been breaking the budgets of low- and middle-income countries facing shortages.
"In those countries, having an alternative WHO-certified supply for these products really matters to ensuring access and affordability," says Rena Conti, associate professor at Boston University's Questrom School of Business and a researcher in drug pricing.
Cooke did not disclose the names of the seven companies that have approached the WHO about this program — a critical first step to participating. And it's unclear which will actually go through the prequalification program. But she described those that have flagged their interest as "small- to middle-sized companies."
One of the companies, however, is among the "big three" (Eli Lilly and Company, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk), but the WHO would not confirm which.
The WHO hopes more companies hop on board. "If we got five additional companies, we would be very pleased," Cooke says.
The WHO is holding a big meeting of insulin stakeholders in March. "It will be a meeting looking at the overall insulin market, to get an idea about what else we should be doing," Cooke says.
The goal, Cooke says, is to have prequalified insulin from the WHO on the market in two years.
Meanwhile, groups like MSF can't wait to get their hands on this lower-cost insulin.
Cepuch has been advocating for the WHO to prequalify insulin for some time. The majority of diabetes patients served by MSF are in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, including refugees fleeing Syria.
"These are really vulnerable populations on the move," Cepuch says. "We have seen so many people who have had to make the difficult decision to ration their insulin."


npr--2020-02-17--Teens Are Still Vaping Flavors, Thanks To New Disposable Vape Pens

Teens Are Still Vaping Flavors , Thanks To New Disposable Vape Pens Efforts to stem the tide of teen vaping seem to be a step behind the market .
By the time Juul pulled most of its flavored pods from the market in October of 2019 , many teens had already moved on to an array of newer , disposable vape products .
`` Juul is almost old school ...
It 's no longer the teen favorite , '' says Meredith Berkman , co-founder of the advocacy group PAVE , Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes .
`` Among the disposables [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Puff Bar , there 's Stig , there 's Viigo , '' Berkman says .
They 're designed for one-time use .
Then , they 're tossed , she explains .
`` These have just flooded the market , '' Berkman says .
These products are flourishing despite the Trump administration 's partial ban on flavored e-cigarettes , announced in January and in effect as of Feb 5 .
The enforcement guidance issued by Food and Drug Administration was aimed at stopping young people from vaping .
It focused enforcement on flavored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it left open some `` loopholes , '' says Matt Myers of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids .
`` It wo n't take the kids and it has n't taken the kids any time to make a switch [ to newer products ] . ''
At any time , the FDA could crack down on the new disposables .
The agency has enforcement discretion to take action and in the guidance the agency specified it could take action on any e-cigarette product that 's `` targeted to minors . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new products on the market quickly , despite regulators ' efforts to curb teen use , says Cristine Delnevo , who directs the Center for Tobacco Studies at Rutgers University .
`` It 's a bit of a game of whack-a-mole , so when policies are aimed at one product , another product pops-up to fill the void , '' Delnevo says .
Delnevo and her collaborators have documented some of the rapid changes in disposable vaping products in a new paper published recently in the journal Tobacco Control .
`` There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says .
She and her coauthors write that they heard anecdotally last September about a new vaping product , `` a disposable 'pod-mod ' closely resembling JUUL '' that was popular among college students .
Combing through threads on Reddit , they found mention of a bunch of brands of disposable `` pod-mods '' — including Posh , Eon Stik and Mr. Vapor — which began to appear in the spring of 2019 .
`` Comments focused on tasting similar to JUUL flavors , lasting longer than a JUUL pod and having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' they wrote .
They also documented advertising for two brands of disposable products in a convenience store near Rutgers .
Some of the most popular new products , such as Puff Bar , come in an array of appealing flavors — similar to what Juul used to sell , says Myers of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids .
`` This one is pink lemonade , '' Myers says as he shows me a Puff Bar .
It 's a vape pen that looks like an elongated thumb drive .
`` And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sweet , sugary flavor , '' says Myers .
These flavors cut the harshness of the tobacco .
`` Young people are inhaling more deeply and getting higher levels of nicotine in their lungs than they would have with a cigarette . ''
`` The Puff Bar is an extremely popular product , '' says Bonnie Halpern-Felsher , a developmental psychologist at Stanford University .
One bar has about 300 puffs and can contain about as much nicotine as two or three packs of cigarettes .
`` That 's a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , research shows nicotine is addictive and harmful to adolescents ' developing brains .
She says because these products are so new , and the landscape changes quickly , it 's difficult to know how many teens are using them and similar disposable products .
But she received a bag of confiscated vape sticks and pens that a high school principal in northern California collected recently and shared with her .
`` When I laid them out , the majority of them are disposable products , '' Halpern-Felsher says .
`` They come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ they 're ] very attractive to youth and that 's what we 're seeing them using the most right now . ''
What can concerned parents do ?
`` We know that teens do n't respond well to just being told about harms or scare tactics , '' says Halpern-Felsher .
She says if you start a conversation by saying `` Johnny , you 're not vaping , right ? ''
you 're not likely to get far .
Instead , start by telling your teen what you 've learned about vaping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Say something like : `` I 've learned how much nicotine is in the products , what have you heard ? ''
Engage them in a conversation to share information .
Then , through that conversation , `` it [ may ] come out whether or not the adolescent is using , '' she says .
`` If you find out they 're using — tell them you 'd like to get them help . ''
2 ) Know what products are still available '' Before you sit down with your kid , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Know what they look like and know what the lingo is , `` advises PAVE 's Berkman .
PAVE offers a toolkit for parents .
In addition to disposable vape sticks , there are refillable cartridges and flavored nicotine liquids , often called `` e-liquids '' available .
`` Right now , you can buy e-liquids on-line , often on websites that are not really age-protected , '' Matt Myers says .
`` And increasingly [ they 're available ] in convenience stores and gas stations , '' he adds .
He says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to deliver more nicotine to young people than the cigarette manufacturers ever did , '' so they can be highly addictive .
`` Sit down with your young people to make sure they understand that these products are not safe and that they run a serious risk of an addiction , '' Myers says .
There are a number of online , digital QUIT programs .
For instance , My Life My Quit is available in more than a dozen states .
The Truth Initiative offers a text-based quitting program that young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DITCHJUUL to 88709 .
For more information , parents and educators can search an online resource from the Truth Initiative of research and reports about emerging tobacco products .
And Halpern-Felsher and a team of collaborators have created a tobacco-prevention toolkit .

Parents: Teens Are Still Vaping, Despite Flavor Ban. Here's What They're Using
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bonnie Halpern-Felsher Bonnie Halpern-Felsher
Efforts to stem the tide of teen vaping seem to be a step behind the market. By the time Juul pulled most of its flavored pods from the market in October of 2019, many teens had already moved on to an array of newer, disposable vape products.
"Juul is almost old school ... It's no longer the teen favorite," says Meredith Berkman, co-founder of the advocacy group PAVE, Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes.
"Among the disposables [that] are most popular, there's Puff Bar, there's Stig, there's Viigo," Berkman says. They're designed for one-time use. Then, they're tossed, she explains. "These have just flooded the market," Berkman says.
These products are flourishing despite the Trump administration's partial ban on flavored e-cigarettes, announced in January and in effect as of Feb 5. The enforcement guidance issued by Food and Drug Administration was aimed at stopping young people from vaping. It focused enforcement on flavored cartridges, like Juul's popular products.
But it left open some "loopholes," says Matt Myers of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "It won't take the kids and it hasn't taken the kids any time to make a switch [to newer products]."
At any time, the FDA could crack down on the new disposables. The agency has enforcement discretion to take action and in the guidance the agency specified it could take action on any e-cigarette product that's "targeted to minors."
The industry has been very creative at getting new products on the market quickly, despite regulators' efforts to curb teen use, says Cristine Delnevo, who directs the Center for Tobacco Studies at Rutgers University.
"It's a bit of a game of whack-a-mole, so when policies are aimed at one product, another product pops-up to fill the void," Delnevo says.
Delnevo and her collaborators have documented some of the rapid changes in disposable vaping products in a new paper published recently in the journal Tobacco Control.
"There are so many of these products," she says. She and her coauthors write that they heard anecdotally last September about a new vaping product, "a disposable 'pod-mod' closely resembling JUUL" that was popular among college students.
Combing through threads on Reddit, they found mention of a bunch of brands of disposable "pod-mods" — including Posh, Eon Stik and Mr. Vapor — which began to appear in the spring of 2019. "Comments focused on tasting similar to JUUL flavors, lasting longer than a JUUL pod and having a good 'hit' like a JUUL," they wrote. They also documented advertising for two brands of disposable products in a convenience store near Rutgers.
toggle caption Max Posner/NPR
Some of the most popular new products, such as Puff Bar, come in an array of appealing flavors — similar to what Juul used to sell, says Myers of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
"This one is pink lemonade," Myers says as he shows me a Puff Bar. It's a vape pen that looks like an elongated thumb drive.
"And when you inhale it, it has a sweet, sugary flavor," says Myers. These flavors cut the harshness of the tobacco. "Young people are inhaling more deeply and getting higher levels of nicotine in their lungs than they would have with a cigarette."
(NPR reached out to the makers of Puff Bar, via an email listed on the product packaging, to ask about marketing and sales of the product. The company did not respond.)
"The Puff Bar is an extremely popular product," says Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a developmental psychologist at Stanford University. One bar has about 300 puffs and can contain about as much nicotine as two or three packs of cigarettes. "That's a lot of nicotine," she says. And, research shows nicotine is addictive and harmful to adolescents' developing brains.
She says because these products are so new, and the landscape changes quickly, it's difficult to know how many teens are using them and similar disposable products.
But she received a bag of confiscated vape sticks and pens that a high school principal in northern California collected recently and shared with her.
"When I laid them out, the majority of them are disposable products," Halpern-Felsher says. "They come in lots of flavors, colors, [they're] very attractive to youth and that's what we're seeing them using the most right now."
What can concerned parents do?
1) Don't confront. Start with a softer approach
"We know that teens don't respond well to just being told about harms or scare tactics," says Halpern-Felsher. She says if you start a conversation by saying "Johnny, you're not vaping, right?" you're not likely to get far.
Instead, start by telling your teen what you've learned about vaping — and why it concerns you. Say something like: "I've learned how much nicotine is in the products, what have you heard?" Engage them in a conversation to share information.
Then, through that conversation, "it [may] come out whether or not the adolescent is using," she says. "If you find out they're using — tell them you'd like to get them help."
2) Know what products are still available
"Before you sit down with your kid, read up on the latest products. Know what they look like and know what the lingo is, " advises PAVE's Berkman. PAVE offers a toolkit for parents.
In addition to disposable vape sticks, there are refillable cartridges and flavored nicotine liquids, often called "e-liquids" available. "Right now, you can buy e-liquids on-line, often on websites that are not really age-protected," Matt Myers says. "And increasingly [they're available] in convenience stores and gas stations," he adds.
He says the product manufacturers "have figured out how to deliver more nicotine to young people than the cigarette manufacturers ever did," so they can be highly addictive.
"Sit down with your young people to make sure they understand that these products are not safe and that they run a serious risk of an addiction," Myers says.
3) Find help online
There are a number of online, digital QUIT programs. For instance, My Life My Quit is available in more than a dozen states. The Truth Initiative offers a text-based quitting program that young people can sign up for by texting DITCHJUUL to 88709.
For more information, parents and educators can search an online resource from the Truth Initiative of research and reports about emerging tobacco products. And Halpern-Felsher and a team of collaborators have created a tobacco-prevention toolkit.


npr--2020-02-17--Warm Winters Threaten Nut Trees. Can Science Help Them Chill Out?

Warm Winters Threaten Nut Trees .
Can Science Help Them Chill Out ?
In love , timing is everything , the saying goes .
The same is true for fruit and nut orchards in California 's Central Valley , which depend on a synchronized springtime bloom for pollination .
But as winters warm with climate change , that seasonal cycle is being thrown off .
Cold is a crucial ingredient for California 's walnuts , cherries , peaches , pears and pistachios , which ultimately head to store shelves around the country .
The state grows around 99 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Over the winter , the trees are bare and dormant , essentially snoozing until they wake up for a key reproductive rite .
`` In the pistachios , the females need to be pollinated by the males trees , '' says Jonathan Battig , farm manager for Strain Farming Company in Arbuckle , Calif. `` Ideally , you 'd like the males to be pushing out the pollen as the females are receptive . ''
In Battig 's orchard , one male tree is planted for every 20 female trees , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart .
`` I know by just looking at them , '' says Battig .
`` The buds on the males are usually more swollen . ''
In March or April , if all goes well , both trees will bloom so the wind carries the male trees ' pollen to the females .
`` For that to happen , the timing needs to line up pretty close , '' he says .
But several times in the last decade , that timing has been out of sync .
The male trees have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ females because the winter was too warm .
Pistachios and many other trees need to experience `` chill hours , '' spending hundreds of hours below 45 degrees .
( Another way to measure is with `` chill portions , '' which take a broader range of temperatures into account . )
The most common male pistachio variety requires more chill hours than the female trees .
Without that down time , the trees do n't wake up normally in the spring and they bloom late or erratically .
That means fewer pistachios @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will find `` blanks , '' shells with no nut inside .
`` Now , with the weather changing , it 's becoming more of a challenge to get those chill hours , '' Battig says .
Plus , if winter daytime temperatures are really warm , that cancels out chill hours the trees have already accumulated .
So , Battig is teaming up with scientists in search of a way to `` trick '' the trees into thinking they 've been colder .
`` So , what we are doing is we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' says Gurreet Brar , a professor at California State University , Fresno , as he clips pistachio buds in a test plot that Battig manages .
These test trees have been `` oiled , '' covered in an oil-based horticultural spray .
Normally , the spray is used on fruit and nut trees to control insects , but it 's also been known to alter the tree 's dormancy period .
`` It 's supposed to help the tree and the buds wake up normally and have a normal bloom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that in warm winters , farmers could use the oil to wake the trees up on time .
But so far , the results have n't been very predictable .
`` The oil sprays work in some cases , '' he says .
`` In some cases , they do n't .
So it has been hit or miss . ''
Horticultural oil is one of several chemicals that scientists are looking into , as a way to help farmers cope with warming temperatures .
According to one study , winter chill could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Central Valley by the end of the century .
Battig says not all of his neighbors talk about that .
`` This is a pretty conservative area , '' he says .
`` But me personally , I do feel something is going on and the climate is getting warmer .
There are people who choose to ignore it , but I do n't . ''
`` We 're on this march and it 's really just a matter of how bad it 's going to be , not whether it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jarvis-Shean , an orchard specialist with the University of California Cooperative Extension who helps farmers adapt to climate change .
`` Threatening those crops is really threatening the livelihoods of a lot of Californians . ''
Central Valley winters have already warmed 2 degrees Fahrenheit on average or more , depending on the location .
So , varieties of orchard trees requiring the most chill will run into trouble by mid-century .
That includes some kinds of peaches , apricots and pears , as well as Golden Delicious apples , Chandler walnuts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is really the marquee variety in California , wo n't get enough chill , '' she says .
`` We 'll need to be breeding new varieties that still have that rich ruby flesh and that juicy flavor that can do well under those low chill conditions . ''
Better-adapted trees may be the only strategy in the long-run , she says .
Efforts are already underway to breed new varieties of pistachios that can handle warmer winters .
Still , breeding new trees can take 20 years — and farmers will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Orchards live for three to four decades , so the trees being planted today will have to cope with a very different climate .

As Warm Winters Mess With Nut Trees' Sex Lives, Farmers Help Them 'Netflix And Chill'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lauren Sommer/NPR Lauren Sommer/NPR
In love, timing is everything, the saying goes. The same is true for fruit and nut orchards in California's Central Valley, which depend on a synchronized springtime bloom for pollination. But as winters warm with climate change, that seasonal cycle is being thrown off.
Cold is a crucial ingredient for California's walnuts, cherries, peaches, pears and pistachios, which ultimately head to store shelves around the country. The state grows around 99% of the country's walnut and pistachio crop.
Over the winter, the trees are bare and dormant, essentially snoozing until they wake up for a key reproductive rite.
"In the pistachios, the females need to be pollinated by the males trees," says Jonathan Battig, farm manager for Strain Farming Company in Arbuckle, Calif. "Ideally, you'd like the males to be pushing out the pollen as the females are receptive."
In Battig's orchard, one male tree is planted for every 20 female trees, though an untrained eye couldn't tell them apart.
"I know by just looking at them," says Battig. "The buds on the males are usually more swollen."
In March or April, if all goes well, both trees will bloom so the wind carries the male trees' pollen to the females.
"For that to happen, the timing needs to line up pretty close," he says.
But several times in the last decade, that timing has been out of sync. The male trees haven't bloomed at the same time as females because the winter was too warm.
Pistachios and many other trees need to experience "chill hours," spending hundreds of hours below 45 degrees. (Another way to measure is with "chill portions," which take a broader range of temperatures into account.) The most common male pistachio variety requires more chill hours than the female trees.
Without that down time, the trees don't wake up normally in the spring and they bloom late or erratically. That means fewer pistachios — or at harvest time, farmers will find "blanks," shells with no nut inside.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lauren Sommer/NPR Lauren Sommer/NPR
"Now, with the weather changing, it's becoming more of a challenge to get those chill hours," Battig says.
Plus, if winter daytime temperatures are really warm, that cancels out chill hours the trees have already accumulated. So, Battig is teaming up with scientists in search of a way to "trick" the trees into thinking they've been colder.
"So, what we are doing is we are spraying at different chill accumulation milestones," says Gurreet Brar, a professor at California State University, Fresno, as he clips pistachio buds in a test plot that Battig manages.
These test trees have been "oiled," covered in an oil-based horticultural spray. Normally, the spray is used on fruit and nut trees to control insects, but it's also been known to alter the tree's dormancy period.
"It's supposed to help the tree and the buds wake up normally and have a normal bloom," says Brar.
The hope is that in warm winters, farmers could use the oil to wake the trees up on time. But so far, the results haven't been very predictable.
"The oil sprays work in some cases," he says. "In some cases, they don't. So it has been hit or miss."
Horticultural oil is one of several chemicals that scientists are looking into, as a way to help farmers cope with warming temperatures. According to one study, winter chill could decline as much as 60 percent in the Central Valley by the end of the century. Battig says not all of his neighbors talk about that.
"This is a pretty conservative area," he says. "But me personally, I do feel something is going on and the climate is getting warmer. There are people who choose to ignore it, but I don't."
"We're on this march and it's really just a matter of how bad it's going to be, not whether it's happening or not," says Katherine Jarvis-Shean, an orchard specialist with the University of California Cooperative Extension who helps farmers adapt to climate change. "Threatening those crops is really threatening the livelihoods of a lot of Californians."
Central Valley winters have already warmed 2 degrees Fahrenheit on average or more, depending on the location. So, varieties of orchard trees requiring the most chill will run into trouble by mid-century. That includes some kinds of peaches, apricots and pears, as well as Golden Delicious apples, Chandler walnuts and Kerman pistachios.
"Bing cherries, which is really the marquee variety in California, won't get enough chill," she says. "We'll need to be breeding new varieties that still have that rich ruby flesh and that juicy flavor that can do well under those low chill conditions."
Better-adapted trees may be the only strategy in the long-run, she says. Efforts are already underway to breed new varieties of pistachios that can handle warmer winters.
Still, breeding new trees can take 20 years — and farmers will need those trees soon, she says. Orchards live for three to four decades, so the trees being planted today will have to cope with a very different climate.


npr--2020-02-17--In China, Quarantine Tests Cooks To Get Clever

In China , Quarantine Tests Cooks To Get Clever As cities across China remain on quarantine lockdown to contain the spread of the new coronavirus , the epidemic is testing the country 's ability to get food to its citizens .
Restaurants and cafes have been closed since the end of January , leaving grocery stores as one of the few options for buying food .
With families encouraged , or sometimes forced , to stay at home , supplies are often hoarded .
Shipments of food from other cities across China take time , as many places have closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thomas and Stephanie Li , passing the time inside has meant making the most of what 's in their pantry — and getting creative .
`` When the news originally hit , it was very difficult to get fresh vegetables , '' Thomas tells NPR .
The couple lives in Shunde , China , a few hundred miles from the epicenter in Wuhan , but their city is still mostly closed and deserted .
They run a food blog called Chinese Cooking Demystified , which focuses on traditional Chinese recipes .
Their YouTube @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make `` the same taste that you 'd get in China . ''
Li says their local grocery store gets a fresh shipment of vegetables just once a day , but most of the highly sought-after items , like cilantro , scallions and leafy greens , are snapped up just a few minutes later .
Hearty staples like broccoli and yams always seem to be available , Li says .
`` You start to approach cooking a little bit differently .
You 're not going into the kitchen thinking , 'OK , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hankering for . '
You really kind of look at what can you do to really make the best possible thing out of that , '' Thomas says .
They recently paired a Chinese vegetable stir-fry with homemade flour tortillas , Oaxacan cheese and fermented soybean chili sauce .
`` Kinda like fajitas , '' Li wrote on Instagram .
`` It was so great !
We accidentally discovered something awesome !
Restaurants should totally do this kind of meal . ''
They 've also added sausage to a breakfast Dutch baby .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of Chinese chiles ( one of the few ingredients found in abundance still , he says ) .
And they 've eaten a lot of soup broths made out of dried mushrooms .
`` Before , we do a lot of testing and we would have a lot of ingredients .
And we usually buy too much , '' Li says .
`` But then this whole experience makes me think about how you can approach all the ingredients and food you have on hand without wasting it . ''
They hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their meal photos are posted on Instagram with the # cookupinlockdown hashtag .
Instagram is blocked in China , but Thomas and Li use a VPN to skirt the firewall .
Li says food has become a major topic on Chinese social media .
With much of China under lockdown , people have started devoting their free time to cooking .
`` There 's this interesting phenomenon because almost everybody [ in China ] is in lockdown .
So you do n't have much to do at home and people just start cooking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there 's this kind of running joke or meme on the Chinese Internet that [ since the lockdown started in late January ] everybody 's just become such a great cook . ''
Thomas says people are teaching themselves to cook more difficult dishes , both out of necessity as well as out of boredom .
As for food shopping , the couple places grocery store orders online that get delivered .
If they want to pick out their own food , they head to a nearby convenience store , which Thomas says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not selling anything fresh .
`` The 7-Eleven right downstairs has those little packaged kimchi , and that was really scratching my fresh vegetable itch for a while , '' Thomas says .
He says they 're lucky because their apartment building has no confirmed coronavirus cases , so residents can actually go outside .
Some buildings are completely locked down .
But the couple plays it safe and rarely leaves , maybe once every other day .
Thomas says that when they do go outside , they see only `` a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thomas and Li hope that for those in China who can see the couple 's posts , they will be inspired to eat well with limited ingredients .
But the two are also hopeful that the end of the quarantine is near .
Thomas says outdoor markets with fresh vegetables have begun to reopen in Shunde .
`` The first shipment from the market was like a breath of fresh air , '' Thomas said .

In China, Quarantine Challenges Cooks To Get Clever
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephanie Li and Christopher Thomas/Chinese Cooking Demystified Stephanie Li and Christopher Thomas/Chinese Cooking Demystified
As cities across China remain on quarantine lockdown to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, the epidemic is testing the country's ability to get food to its citizens.
Restaurants and cafes have been closed since the end of January, leaving grocery stores as one of the few options for buying food. With families encouraged, or sometimes forced, to stay at home, supplies are often hoarded. Shipments of food from other cities across China take time, as many places have closed off roads.
For food bloggers Christopher Thomas and Stephanie Li, passing the time inside has meant making the most of what's in their pantry — and getting creative.
"When the news originally hit, it was very difficult to get fresh vegetables," Thomas tells NPR.
The couple lives in Shunde, China, a few hundred miles from the epicenter in Wuhan, but their city is still mostly closed and deserted. They run a food blog called Chinese Cooking Demystified, which focuses on traditional Chinese recipes. Their YouTube cooking channel features videos on how to make "the same taste that you'd get in China."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephanie Li and Christopher Thomas/Chinese Cooking Demystified Stephanie Li and Christopher Thomas/Chinese Cooking Demystified
Li says their local grocery store gets a fresh shipment of vegetables just once a day, but most of the highly sought-after items, like cilantro, scallions and leafy greens, are snapped up just a few minutes later. Hearty staples like broccoli and yams always seem to be available, Li says.
"You start to approach cooking a little bit differently. You're not going into the kitchen thinking, 'OK, this is kind of what I have a hankering for.' You really kind of look at what can you do to really make the best possible thing out of that," Thomas says.
They recently paired a Chinese vegetable stir-fry with homemade flour tortillas, Oaxacan cheese and fermented soybean chili sauce. "Kinda like fajitas," Li wrote on Instagram. "It was so great! We accidentally discovered something awesome! Restaurants should totally do this kind of meal."
They've also added sausage to a breakfast Dutch baby. And Thomas made a Cholula-style hot sauce out of Chinese chiles (one of the few ingredients found in abundance still, he says). And they've eaten a lot of soup broths made out of dried mushrooms.
"Before, we do a lot of testing and we would have a lot of ingredients. And we usually buy too much," Li says. "But then this whole experience makes me think about how you can approach all the ingredients and food you have on hand without wasting it."
They hope others in China will be inspired. Their meal photos are posted on Instagram with the #cookupinlockdown hashtag. Instagram is blocked in China, but Thomas and Li use a VPN to skirt the firewall.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephanie Li and Christopher Thomas/Chinese Cooking Demystified Stephanie Li and Christopher Thomas/Chinese Cooking Demystified
Li says food has become a major topic on Chinese social media. With much of China under lockdown, people have started devoting their free time to cooking.
"There's this interesting phenomenon because almost everybody [in China] is in lockdown. So you don't have much to do at home and people just start cooking," she says. "Now there's this kind of running joke or meme on the Chinese Internet that [since the lockdown started in late January] everybody's just become such a great cook."
Thomas says people are teaching themselves to cook more difficult dishes, both out of necessity as well as out of boredom.
As for food shopping, the couple places grocery store orders online that get delivered. If they want to pick out their own food, they head to a nearby convenience store, which Thomas says has remained well stocked. But it's not selling anything fresh.
"The 7-Eleven right downstairs has those little packaged kimchi, and that was really scratching my fresh vegetable itch for a while," Thomas says.
He says they're lucky because their apartment building has no confirmed coronavirus cases, so residents can actually go outside. Some buildings are completely locked down. But the couple plays it safe and rarely leaves, maybe once every other day. Thomas says that when they do go outside, they see only "a couple of people" on the streets.
Thomas and Li hope that for those in China who can see the couple's posts, they will be inspired to eat well with limited ingredients. But the two are also hopeful that the end of the quarantine is near. Thomas says outdoor markets with fresh vegetables have begun to reopen in Shunde.
"The first shipment from the market was like a breath of fresh air," Thomas said.


npr--2020-02-17--Rights Activist Xu Zhiyong Arrested In China Amid Crackdown On Dissent

Prominent Chinese legal activist and civil rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong has been detained in southern China , after spending nearly two months on the run as he taunted Chinese authorities and encouraged his followers through a steady stream of political commentary posted on social media and his personal blog .
Friends of Xu Zhiyong confirmed to NPR that Xu was arrested at around 6 p.m. local time on Feb. 15 in the Panyu district of Guangzhou , a major metropolis in the south of China .
Xu had managed to evade authorities for 50 days as police began rounding up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His detention marks an escalation in an ongoing crackdown on Chinese civil society groups under the country 's leader Xi Jinping , decimating a once burgeoning legal rights movement .
Xu , a former university lecturer and rights lawyer , was released in 2017 after serving a four-year prison sentence for his legal activism .
He is a co-founder of the New Citizens ' Movement , a collection of lawyers and activists demanding civil rights protections and rule of law .
Many of the movement 's members were arrested and imprisoned in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capture for so long in a country that has invested heavily in digital surveillance and laced its cities with cameras equipped with facial recognition capacities is unclear .
Friends say he switched locations often and did not use a mobile phone , relying instead on Gmail to communicate with colleagues and loved ones .
Despite the intense efforts from Chinese authorities to locate and arrest him , Xu sometimes went for runs outside and occasionally took his meals at restaurants , according to an acquaintance .
Xu also regularly kept up his blog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled with politically charged rhetoric and commentary about current events .
In one post from February 4 , he called for China 's leader Xi to step down , criticizing his handling of the coronavirus outbreak and myriad other policies .
`` Politicians should be unflappable in a time of crisis , but you are helpless , '' Xu wrote .
`` Where are you leading China ?
Towards democracy or dictatorship ?
Modernization or the Cultural Revolution ?
In his last blog post from Feb. 14 , the day before he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a whistleblower doctor , Li Wenliang , who was reprimanded for warning others about the coronavirus before becoming infected himself .
`` This nationwide calamity could only happen without democracy and freedom of speech , '' Xu wrote .
`` While the public are distressed for Dr. Li and their country , the Communist Party hides in the shadows and acts as eyes and ears .
In their hearts , there is no right and wrong , no conscience , no bottom line , no humanity . ''
Xu 's ordeal began Dec. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that four acquaintances had been abruptly detained .
He stepped of a train heading to Beijing and started his time on the run .
In the weeks that followed , more than a dozen of Xu 's fellow activists and rights lawyers were detained or summoned to court .
Four remain missing .
They all had been among the twenty or so participants of a dinner meeting on Dec. 13 in the coastal city of Xiamen , in China 's Fujian province .
`` The meeting 's contents were not secret , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director and activist now based in New Jersey .
`` It was only because such a group of controversial personalities got together to discuss administrative issues that authorities took notice .
Xi Jinping has said people can not criticize the party .
No one would believe that this group of dissidents would congregate for anything but to criticize the party . ''
Yang Bin , a lawyer in Guangzhou with whom Xu had been staying when he was taken by police , was also briefly detained on Saturday along with her two other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two other acquaintances .
Yang and her family members were released the next day .
Friends of Li Qiaochu , Xu 's girlfriend who had been living in his Beijing apartment , said they lost contact with her on Sunday afternoon .
The Panyu district public security bureau said they `` were unclear '' about the arrest of Xu and declined to comment on his case .

Rights Activist Xu Zhiyong Arrested In China Amid Crackdown On Dissent
Enlarge this image toggle caption Xiao Guozhen via Reuters Xiao Guozhen via Reuters
Prominent Chinese legal activist and civil rights lawyer Xu Zhiyong has been detained in southern China, after spending nearly two months on the run as he taunted Chinese authorities and encouraged his followers through a steady stream of political commentary posted on social media and his personal blog.
Friends of Xu Zhiyong confirmed to NPR that Xu was arrested at around 6 p.m. local time on Feb. 15 in the Panyu district of Guangzhou, a major metropolis in the south of China. Xu had managed to evade authorities for 50 days as police began rounding up fellow activists the day after Christmas.
His detention marks an escalation in an ongoing crackdown on Chinese civil society groups under the country's leader Xi Jinping, decimating a once burgeoning legal rights movement.
Xu, a former university lecturer and rights lawyer, was released in 2017 after serving a four-year prison sentence for his legal activism. He is a co-founder of the New Citizens' Movement, a collection of lawyers and activists demanding civil rights protections and rule of law. Many of the movement's members were arrested and imprisoned in a 2015 mass round-up.
How Xu avoided capture for so long in a country that has invested heavily in digital surveillance and laced its cities with cameras equipped with facial recognition capacities is unclear. Friends say he switched locations often and did not use a mobile phone, relying instead on Gmail to communicate with colleagues and loved ones.
Despite the intense efforts from Chinese authorities to locate and arrest him, Xu sometimes went for runs outside and occasionally took his meals at restaurants, according to an acquaintance.
Xu also regularly kept up his blog and his Twitter account, which he filled with politically charged rhetoric and commentary about current events. In one post from February 4, he called for China's leader Xi to step down, criticizing his handling of the coronavirus outbreak and myriad other policies.
"Politicians should be unflappable in a time of crisis, but you are helpless," Xu wrote. "Where are you leading China? Towards democracy or dictatorship? Modernization or the Cultural Revolution?
In his last blog post from Feb. 14, the day before he was detained, Xu grieved the death of a whistleblower doctor, Li Wenliang, who was reprimanded for warning others about the coronavirus before becoming infected himself.
"This nationwide calamity could only happen without democracy and freedom of speech," Xu wrote. "While the public are distressed for Dr. Li and their country, the Communist Party hides in the shadows and acts as eyes and ears. In their hearts, there is no right and wrong, no conscience, no bottom line, no humanity."
Xu's ordeal began Dec. 26, after receiving a text saying that four acquaintances had been abruptly detained. He stepped off a train heading to Beijing and started his time on the run.
In the weeks that followed, more than a dozen of Xu's fellow activists and rights lawyers were detained or summoned to court. Four remain missing. They all had been among the twenty or so participants of a dinner meeting on Dec. 13 in the coastal city of Xiamen, in China's Fujian province.
"The meeting's contents were not secret," said Hua Ze, a Chinese film director and activist now based in New Jersey. "It was only because such a group of controversial personalities got together to discuss administrative issues that authorities took notice. Xi Jinping has said people cannot criticize the party. No one would believe that this group of dissidents would congregate for anything but to criticize the party."
Yang Bin, a lawyer in Guangzhou with whom Xu had been staying when he was taken by police, was also briefly detained on Saturday along with her two other family members, according to Hua and two other acquaintances. Yang and her family members were released the next day.
Friends of Li Qiaochu, Xu's girlfriend who had been living in his Beijing apartment, said they lost contact with her on Sunday afternoon.
The Panyu district public security bureau said they "were unclear" about the arrest of Xu and declined to comment on his case.


npr--2020-02-17--Jeff Bezos Pledges $10 Billion To Fight Climate Change, Planet's 'Biggest Threat'

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced Monday he is committing $ 10 billion to fight climate change , which he calls `` the biggest threat to our planet . ''
Bezos says the funds will go toward the creation of the Bezos Earth Fund .
`` This global initiative will fund scientists , activists , NGOs — any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world , '' he writes in an Instagram post .
`` I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet . ''
Bezos adds , `` It 's going to take collective action from big companies , small companies , nation states , global organizations , and individuals . ''
But some Amazon workers , deeply critical of their employer 's own environmental record , say it is Amazon itself that has been complicit in the climate crisis and must change its ways .
`` We applaud Jeff Bezos ' philanthropy , but one hand can not give what the other is taking away , '' Amazon Employees For Climate Justice said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledge .
`` When is Amazon going to stop helping oil & gas companies ravage Earth with still more oil and gas wells ?
When is Amazon going to stop funding climate-denying think tanks like the Competitive Enterprise Institute and climate-delaying policy ?
When will Amazon take responsibility for the lungs of children near its warehouses by moving from diesel to all-electric trucking ? ''
In April , thousands of Amazon workers signed an open letter to Bezos and Amazon 's board of directors , calling on them to end contracts with oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change-denying lawmakers and setting measurable goals .
Around 1,700 workers joined a global climate walkout on Sept. 20 .
In a statement , they said `` as employees at one of the largest and most powerful companies in the world , our role in facing the climate crisis is to ensure our company is leading on climate , not following . ''
A day before the walkout , Amazon addressed the demands , announcing its Climate Pledge , committing to use 100 % renewable energy by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the purchase of 100,000 emissions-free electric vehicles from Rivian , a Michigan-based company in which it is investing hundreds of millions of dollars .
The e-commerce behemoth ships billions of items worldwide , relying on fossil fuels to power its fleet of planes and trucks .
Bezos is the richest person in the world , according to Forbes , which puts his net worth at $ 126.9 billion .
The world 's second wealthiest person , Bill Gates , who Forbes says trails Bezos by $ 14.5 billion , is also making the @ @ @ @ @ @

Jeff Bezos Pledges $10 Billion To Fight Climate Change, Planet's 'Biggest Threat'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced Monday he is committing $10 billion to fight climate change, which he calls "the biggest threat to our planet."
Bezos says the funds will go toward the creation of the Bezos Earth Fund.
"This global initiative will fund scientists, activists, NGOs — any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world," he writes in an Instagram post. "I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting the devastating impact of climate change on this planet."
Bezos adds, "It's going to take collective action from big companies, small companies, nation states, global organizations, and individuals."
But some Amazon workers, deeply critical of their employer's own environmental record, say it is Amazon itself that has been complicit in the climate crisis and must change its ways.
"We applaud Jeff Bezos' philanthropy, but one hand cannot give what the other is taking away," Amazon Employees For Climate Justice said in a statement in response to the pledge.
"When is Amazon going to stop helping oil & gas companies ravage Earth with still more oil and gas wells? When is Amazon going to stop funding climate-denying think tanks like the Competitive Enterprise Institute and climate-delaying policy? When will Amazon take responsibility for the lungs of children near its warehouses by moving from diesel to all-electric trucking?"
In April, thousands of Amazon workers signed an open letter to Bezos and Amazon's board of directors, calling on them to end contracts with oil and gas companies, halt donations to climate change-denying lawmakers and setting measurable goals.
Around 1,700 workers joined a global climate walkout on Sept. 20. In a statement, they said "as employees at one of the largest and most powerful companies in the world, our role in facing the climate crisis is to ensure our company is leading on climate, not following."
A day before the walkout, Amazon addressed the demands, announcing its Climate Pledge, committing to use 100% renewable energy by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2040.
Part of its pledge involves the purchase of 100,000 emissions-free electric vehicles from Rivian, a Michigan-based company in which it is investing hundreds of millions of dollars.
The e-commerce behemoth ships billions of items worldwide, relying on fossil fuels to power its fleet of planes and trucks.
Bezos is the richest person in the world, according to Forbes, which puts his net worth at $126.9 billion.
The world's second wealthiest person, Bill Gates, who Forbes says trails Bezos by $14.5 billion, is also making the climate crisis a philanthropic priority.


npr--2020-02-17--Refugee Docents Help Bring A Museum's Global Collection To Life

When Ellen Owens , director of learning and public engagement at the Penn Museum , looked at her pool of docents , she saw a wonderful — and aging — group of largely white people .
Docents explain exhibits to visitors and show them around the galleries .
Owens thought that having docents from a range of ages and backgrounds might be a good way to connect with more diverse communities who might not otherwise be drawn to the Penn Museum .
With her colleague Kevin Schott , Owens hit upon an idea .
Their institution is world-renowned for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africa and Central America .
So , why not hire refugees and immigrants from those parts of the world to work as docents ?
`` We really wanted to have the narratives of lots of different people , to bring the authentic voices of people that live in other places into the galleries of the museum , '' Owens explains .
The Global Guides , as they 're called , were recruited with the help of Philadelphia non-profit organizations aiding immigrants and refugees .
The guides received traditional training in archaeology and ancient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professional storytellers to help the Global Guides lace in personal tales about their lives .
On a recent winter morning , Moumena Saradar , a 43-year-old refugee from Syria , met a visitor wearing a dark green hijab and a radiant smile that warmed up the museum 's chilly marble halls .
She proudly escorted her guest through a collection that includes thousands of ancient Sumerian clay tablets , coins and sculptures .
`` The oldest artifacts here are 7,000 years old , '' Saradar explained .
Saradar immigrated to Philadelphia three and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and five kids .
Back in Damascus , she worked as a lab technician in a hospital .
Now , she connects her history with a cache of fabulous gold jewelry excavated from the tomb of a powerful Mesopotamian queen .
`` I love Queen Puabi because she reminds me of my wedding day and wedding customs and traditions , '' Saradar says .
`` On my wedding day — guess what — I got approximately two pounds of real gold .
So I got that amazing feeling , like — I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Penn Museum has shot up since the Global Guides ' first tours in 2018 .
A third of its visitors today attend specifically to take a tour with a Global Guide , according to the institution 's internal research , and the program has attracted attention throughout the museum world .
Nearly a dozen other museums have asked about developing similar programs , and there 's already one in place at the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford in England .
Julian Siggers , director of the Penn Museum , says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Iraq and Syria , given that his institution owes its entire existence to artifacts legally excavated from there in the 1800s .
`` This is a part of the world where not only do you see the first cities , but you see the first writing , the first irrigation , the first astronomy , '' he says .
`` I mean , we all have this enormous debt to these cultures of the ancient Near East .
And of course that 's where [ the docents ] are from and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Global Guides also come from Mexico , Guatemala and the Democratic Republic of the Congo .
Clay Katongo arrived in North America 13 years ago after fleeing the DRC .
He 's a new Global Guide , whose tours concentrate on the spectacular Africa collection , replete with religious artifacts preceding the spread of Christianity and Islam .
`` I love this place , '' Katongo says .
`` This is my culture .
This is my story . ''
Katongo sees himself as part of a long lineage of spiritual leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is as a pastor in a West Philadelphia evangelical church .
It provides day care for immigrant workers .
He 's deeply involved in supporting his community , and the Penn Museum supports him , says Ellen Owens .
`` One of the big goals of this project was actually to provide jobs for people that are immigrants and refugees , '' she says .
The part-time guides are paid about $ 20 an hour and the grant that funds them builds in help to negotiate economic and cultural barriers .
`` Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures , W-2 forms , how to ask for a day off , '' says Kevin Schott , associate director of interpretative programs .
`` I think we often forget all the dumb things we know about having a job in America . ''
But the upside for the museum is huge , Schott adds .
The Global Guides have turned out to be invaluable when it comes to translating documents in Arabic , Spanish and other languages .
They 've helped curators on the ground doing research in Iraq .
And at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries can feel as remote as an artifact locked away in a glass case , hearing refugees ' stories in tandem with artifacts from the past makes both feel more personal and present .

Refugee Docents Help Bring A Museum's Global Collection To Life
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cameron Pollack for NPR Cameron Pollack for NPR
The museum faced a docent dilemma.
When Ellen Owens, director of learning and public engagement at the Penn Museum, looked at her pool of docents, she saw a wonderful — and aging — group of largely white people. Docents explain exhibits to visitors and show them around the galleries. Owens thought that having docents from a range of ages and backgrounds might be a good way to connect with more diverse communities who might not otherwise be drawn to the Penn Museum.
With her colleague Kevin Schott, Owens hit upon an idea. Their institution is world-renowned for its priceless artifacts from the Middle East, Africa and Central America. So, why not hire refugees and immigrants from those parts of the world to work as docents?
"We really wanted to have the narratives of lots of different people, to bring the authentic voices of people that live in other places into the galleries of the museum," Owens explains.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cameron Pollack for NPR Cameron Pollack for NPR
The Global Guides, as they're called, were recruited with the help of Philadelphia non-profit organizations aiding immigrants and refugees. The guides received traditional training in archaeology and ancient history. Plus, the museum hired professional storytellers to help the Global Guides lace in personal tales about their lives.
On a recent winter morning, Moumena Saradar, a 43-year-old refugee from Syria, met a visitor wearing a dark green hijab and a radiant smile that warmed up the museum's chilly marble halls. She proudly escorted her guest through a collection that includes thousands of ancient Sumerian clay tablets, coins and sculptures. "The oldest artifacts here are 7,000 years old," Saradar explained.
Saradar immigrated to Philadelphia three and a half years ago with her husband and five kids. Back in Damascus, she worked as a lab technician in a hospital. Now, she connects her history with a cache of fabulous gold jewelry excavated from the tomb of a powerful Mesopotamian queen.
"I love Queen Puabi because she reminds me of my wedding day and wedding customs and traditions," Saradar says. "On my wedding day — guess what — I got approximately two pounds of real gold. So I got that amazing feeling, like — I'm a queen!"
Attendance at the Penn Museum has shot up since the Global Guides' first tours in 2018. A third of its visitors today attend specifically to take a tour with a Global Guide, according to the institution's internal research, and the program has attracted attention throughout the museum world. Nearly a dozen other museums have asked about developing similar programs, and there's already one in place at the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford in England.
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Julian Siggers, director of the Penn Museum, says it's especially meaningful to have docents from Iraq and Syria, given that his institution owes its entire existence to artifacts legally excavated from there in the 1800s.
"This is a part of the world where not only do you see the first cities, but you see the first writing, the first irrigation, the first astronomy," he says. "I mean, we all have this enormous debt to these cultures of the ancient Near East. And of course that's where [the docents] are from and they're very proud of that."
The Global Guides also come from Mexico, Guatemala and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Clay Katongo arrived in North America 13 years ago after fleeing the DRC. He's a new Global Guide, whose tours concentrate on the spectacular Africa collection, replete with religious artifacts preceding the spread of Christianity and Islam.
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"I love this place," Katongo says. "This is my culture. This is my story." Katongo sees himself as part of a long lineage of spiritual leaders from central Africa. His primary job is as a pastor in a West Philadelphia evangelical church. It provides day care for immigrant workers. He's deeply involved in supporting his community, and the Penn Museum supports him, says Ellen Owens.
"One of the big goals of this project was actually to provide jobs for people that are immigrants and refugees," she says. The part-time guides are paid about $20 an hour and the grant that funds them builds in help to negotiate economic and cultural barriers.
"Like how to get sick time, HR procedures, W-2 forms, how to ask for a day off," says Kevin Schott, associate director of interpretative programs. "I think we often forget all the dumb things we know about having a job in America."
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But the upside for the museum is huge, Schott adds. The Global Guides have turned out to be invaluable when it comes to translating documents in Arabic, Spanish and other languages. They've helped curators on the ground doing research in Iraq. And at a moment when the tragedies of other countries can feel as remote as an artifact locked away in a glass case, hearing refugees' stories in tandem with artifacts from the past makes both feel more personal and present.