Harvard University to end investment in fossil fuels
President Bacow said the school’s endowment had no direct investments in fossil fuel exploration or development companies as of June and will not make such investments in the future.
United States
Amazon to cover 100% of college tuition for U.S. hourly employees
Amazon will offer to pay 100% of college tuition for its 750,000 U.S. hourly employees. The e-commerce giant is following the lead of other large U.S. companies that are dangling similar perk in a tight job market.
Richmond’s massive Robert E. Lee statue has been removed
Lee’s statue was the largest Confederate monument in Richmond, Virginia and one of the largest in the country. Nearly every other Confederate statue in the city was removed last summer by protests or the city itself.
U.S. federal judge throws out Trump-era rule facilitating development of streams, marshes, and wetlands
District Judge Rosemary Marquez’s decision applies nationwide, according to the Washington Post, and will protect drinking water and wildlife habitat for millions of Americans and billions of animals.
University of Arizona, University of Queensland, and others beat Stanford to 100% clean, renewable electricity
Stanford University recently claimed to be the “first research university to use 100% renewable electricity.” But in fact, many universities around the world have already reached this important milestone.
Arizona abolishes peremptory challenges to improve juror diversity
As reported by Vox, this practice leads to the disproportionate dismissal of jurors of color, and “multiple studies suggest that peremptory strikes play a major role in producing juries that are whiter than the population as a whole.”
Charlotte, NC launches peer-run alternative to psychiatric hospitalization
The facility is entirely run by those who have experienced mental illness, psychiatric hospitalizations, homelessness, incarceration, or substance use. It is designed to be an alternative for those who are without physical injury who would otherwise be admitted to a psychiatric facility by an emergency room.
Bryan Ruby becomes the first active professional baseball player to come out as gay
“I want to help create a world where future generations of baseball players don’t have to sacrifice authenticity or who they really are to play the game they love,” said Bryan Ruby of the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.
Walgreens becomes newest member of the $15 an hour club
The $15 increase, which applies to both full- and part-time workers, will be phased in and completed by November 2022.
City of Madison will begin sending specialists to non-violent mental health calls instead of police
Madison’s CARES (Community Alternative Response to Emergency Situations and Services) team will feature two paramedics from Madison Fire Department, as well as two representatives from the Journey Mental Health Facility in Madison.