woman with smeared makeup holding up a drawn smile in front of her mouth

High temperatures can raise risks for people on mental health medications

Heat waves can elevate health risks for those on psychiatric medications, which impair the body's ability to manage heat, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses like heat stroke.

Nina Dietz reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

Many psychotropic drugs, such as SSRIs, SNRIs, antipsychotics, and stimulants, alter body temperature regulation by affecting the hypothalamus.
During high heat, people on these medications face increased risk of dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and severe conditions like heat stroke.
Experts suggest preparing for emergencies by consulting with doctors about medication risks and stockpiling essentials.

Key quote:

“When we talk about heat related illness, we’re talking about seven to 10 percent of the impact of heat. Heat is the force multiplier of disease.”

— Dr. Pope Moseley, biomedical sciences researcher and intensive care physician

Why this matters:

As extreme heat events become more frequent due to climate change, people taking medications that affect body temperature regulation face higher risks of life-threatening heat illnesses. Being proactive with doctors about heat-related medication effects can help mitigate these dangers.

insideclimatenews.org

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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High temperatures can raise risks for people on mental health medications

New pricing system helps small town slash its garbage output

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