WSJ’s The Future of Everything

World leaders are still trying to figure out how to handle the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic waste generated every year. Back in the 1990s, it was tough to switch on the TV and not see ads or shows offering viewers a simple solution: to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics. Nice words, but it turns out that wasn’t enough to solve the problem. New high tech methods have shown promise in breaking down plastics or creating new ones that are easier to recycle. But they’re expensive alternatives. Will the economics work out? WSJ’s Danny Lewis sorts through the future of plastics recycling.

Would you pay more for plastic products designed to be easily recycled? Email us at foepodcast@wsj.com

Further reading:

U.S. Recycles 5% of Plastic Waste, Studies Show

The 100% Recyclable Running Shoe That’s Only Available by Subscription

‘Widely Recyclable’ Label Introduced to Plastic Packaging

Soda Brands Are About to Get Possessive of Their Trash

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Experts agree that removing carbon from the atmosphere will be necessary, regardless of increases in clean energy production and storage. The process can be done both naturally and mechanically. Climate scientists say all types of carbon capture will be needed to bring down the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We explain what methods are being used now, explore the challenges of the technology, and how carbon pricing might impact innovation and the business of carbon capture.

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Bad Bets is a new podcast series from The Wall Street Journal that unravels big-business dramas that have had a big impact on our world. This season, we're delving into Enron. In 2001, energy company Enron was at the height of its power. Then, out of the blue, CEO Jeffrey Skilling resigned-just six months after he took the reins of a company he had helped turn into an innovation machine. Why? In this episode, we dive into the first cracks in the Enron facade. John Emshwiller is the host of this season of Bad Bets. John and his Journal colleague Rebecca Smith did the original reporting on which this season is based. Bad Bets is a production of The Wall Street Journal. This season was produced in collaboration with Neon Hum Media.

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The hallucinogenic compound psilocybin is undergoing a renaissance-not as a recreational drug but as a potential treatment for mental health conditions. We follow the journey of one participant of a scientific study into the psychedelic drug's effect on depression.

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High-speed internet is something many of us take for granted. But the FCC says millions of Americans lack access to broadband service. That includes many people who live in the northernmost parts of Alaska, where satellite internet has long been the only option. That’s changing, though, as melting sea ice is leading a rush of companies to step in and start laying new undersea cables. WSJ Pro reporter Isabelle Bousquette visited parts of the Arctic where high-speed internet has made it easier to learn and even saved lives. She speaks with WSJ’s Danny Lewis about the huge educational, medical and research implications for people in the Arctic and beyond.

Further reading:

A Warming Arctic Emerges as a Route for Subsea Cables - WSJ

Climate Change in Arctic Is Changing How People There Live and Work - WSJ

Google, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft Weave a Fiber-Optic Web of Power - WSJ

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