Information Channel

April 20, 2019

The Recycling Crisis

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Every wondered what happens to the stuff that you toss in the recycling bin? For decades, America’s recyclable waste was processed in China. But now, the Asian giant refuses to accept most US recyclables. Then, recent research shows that kids that participate in team sports may have greater brain development, and lower rates of depression.

Episode Segments

The End of Recycling as We Know It

For nearly three decades, recyclable materials from the US were shipped cheaply to China for processing. However, in the past year, China has stopped accepting virtually all of it. Kate O\'Neill, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at University of California Berkeley said as a result, local governments and the recycling industry are now facing an unprecedented recycling crisis, especially in plastics. She estimated that, at least for now, nearly 100% of recyclable materials are going into landfills. She discussed the steps that the waste industry is taking to try to fix the problem.

The Benefits of Teen Sports

Deanna Barch, PhD, Professor of Psychology; Professor of Radiology, chair of the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences in Arts & Sciences and the Gregory B. Couch Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis was the senior author of a study that linked participation in team sports to larger hippocampal volumes in children and less depression in boys ages 9 to 11. The hippocampus is a brain region that plays an important role in memory and how we respond to stress. She said the evidence was particularly strong for children participating in sports that involved structure, such as a school team, a non-school league or regular lessons, as compared to more informal engagement in sports.

Bank Account Sign Up Bonuses

Banks are paying customers to open savings and checking accounts. Arielle O\'Shea, investing and retirement specialist from Nerdwallet.com said bank account sign-up bonuses may not be as widespread as credit card perks, but they can be lucrative. She outlined some of the fine print consumers need to be aware of before accepting a bonus offer.

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