The theme for International Women’s Day this year is “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,” because 37 percent of women don’t use the internet and 259 million fewer woman have access to the internet than men. If women aren’t able to access the Internet, they’re unable to develop digital skills, which diminishes their opportunities to pursue STEM careers. Read more →

Things are busy, here in my corner of the USA. I’m behind in reporting on what’s happening for National Consumer Protection Week. A lot of my time has been taken up since the first of the year taking part in the Dean Ornish heart health program. It ends Wednesday. I’ll be reporting on its many benefits soon. Read more →

Recently, I wrote about where to donate clothes you no longer want to wear, including those that are worn out. I listed the usual locations – Goodwill and the Salvation Army – and donating to retailers such as H&M. I also reported on what environmentalists have to say about the huge amount of clothing that ends up in landfills here and overseas. Read more →

It’s time for my annual article on the top consumer and personal finance articles of the year. As usual, there aren’t many reporters covering this important topic. However, in addition to the best news, health, political, and science stories of the year, there’s a new category: the top climate change stories. Read more →

As a minimalist, I don’t do much shopping. Before the pandemic, I bought most of my clothes from the sales racks at Macy’s. Its clothes seem to be O.K. for older women. I did go shopping several times with my daughter Lisa, who lives in Madrid, and we shopped at H&M, Zara, and other stores. So, I got an idea of what fast fashion is. Read more →

Decades ago, I remember writing about energy efficiency labels being proposed for appliances. It was exciting when the new yellow labels appeared listing the estimated amount of energy an appliance would use in a year. Most people these days recognize the yellow labels and rely on them while shopping. Read more →

I love parks, including national parks. National park I’ve visited include Mount Rainier, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Everglades, Olympic, Denali, Carlsbad Caverns, Crater Lake, and North Cascades. My daughter Mona, who’s a botanist, loves visiting the Joshua Tree National Park. Read more →

The EPA said Friday it will designate the two most commonly detected toxic “forever chemicals” – chemicals found in cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant furniture and carpets, water-repellant clothing, and cosmetics that have been linked to cancer and other health problems – as hazardous substances. Read more →

It seems like a miracle. The Democrats finally came together and passed major legislation to benefit American consumers. It’s called the Inflation Reduction Act. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said the law will have a lasting impact on the planet and will help lower costs for Americans across our country. Read more →

A friend wrote on Facebook that today is World Elephant Day. She works for the San Diego Zoo, and she posted photos from her first visit to Africa in 1988. She and her group were canoeing on the Zambezi River, following bull elephants along the shore. Read more →