man sleeping on bench in the middle of the street.

Global support grows for carbon tax that also reduces poverty

People across 20 countries, including many in wealthy nations, say they are willing to pay a climate tax that also redistributes income to those with smaller carbon footprints.

Sophie Hurwitz reports for Grist.

In short:

A global survey of over 40,000 people found broad support for a carbon tax that penalizes high emitters and provides monthly payments to those with lower emissions.
Japan showed the highest support at 94%, while in the U.S., only about half supported the idea, with deep partisan divides: 75% of Biden voters favored the plan, compared to 26% of Trump voters.
Researchers noted that while initial support is strong, public opinion may shift once policies take effect, especially if costs are visible and opponents frame the tax as harmful.

Key quote:

“People with a carbon footprint larger than the world average would financially lose, and those with a carbon footprint lower than the world average would win.”

— Adrian Fabre, lead author of the study and researcher at the International Center for Research on Environment and Development in Paris

Why this matters:

Carbon taxes are one of the most discussed tools for addressing climate change, yet they often face political resistance, especially when costs are passed directly to consumers. This study suggests many people are willing to accept higher personal costs if climate policies also address global inequality. That’s especially relevant as emissions remain highest in wealthier countries, while climate impacts often fall hardest on poorer ones. The challenge remains in translating that support into durable policy. Past efforts, like Canada’s rebate-based carbon pricing, have faltered as rising fuel prices and misinformation chipped away at public trust. Understanding how to frame and design such taxes could be key to their survival — and to cutting global emissions fast enough to matter.

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A residential garbage can overflows with plastic bottles and other waste.

Credit: the blowup/Unsplash

New pricing system helps small town slash its garbage output

When Plympton, Massachusetts started charging by the bag for trash, it nearly halved the town’s garbage — and saved thousands of dollars in the process.

Tik Root reports for Grist.

In short:

Plympton cut its annual trash output from 640 to 335 tons after shifting from a flat-fee dump sticker to a “pay-as-you-throw” model charging per bag.
The new pricing system incentivized recycling and composting, saving the town about $65,000 a year and reducing landfill-related emissions.
Nearly half of Massachusetts municipalities now use PAYT, and experts say volume-based pricing drives waste reduction without unfairly burdening small or low-income households.

Key quote:

“We found that demand for waste disposal was really responsive to price. If you raise the price of trash, people are going to find ways to not put as much out at the curb.”

— John Halstead, retired professor of environmental economics at the University of New Hampshire and an author of a study on New Hampshire's pay-as-you-throw model

Why this matters:

Less landfill use means fewer toxics in the air and water, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and more recycled materials in circulation. Plympton’s story shows that smart policy doesn’t have to be punitive or complicated — it just has to make people see the cost of their choices, and let common sense do the rest.

How a government feud threatens decades of scientific progress

The Trump administration’s move to cut off $2.6 billion in federal research funding to Harvard has upended a vital engine of American science, with ripple effects that reach far beyond a single university.

Emily Badger, Aatish Bhatia, and Ethan Singer report for The New York Times.

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