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Tensions between FedEx Ground and its independent contractors reached a peak in 2022. Contractors accused the company of unfair pay and rising costs, and threatened to halt operations during the peak season. This article delves into the root causes of the conflict, industry impacts, and potential legal consequences.

Small and medium-sized candy manufacturers in the U.S. are facing multiple challenges, including labor shortages, rising logistics costs, and unstable raw material supplies. To cope with these difficulties, companies are forced to adjust their recruitment strategies, procure raw materials in advance, and re-evaluate their business models to survive in a volatile market environment.

This article examines how San Francisco and Seattle are addressing the shortage of public toilets in the U.S. San Francisco's Pit Stop program, inspired by a 13-year-old's plea, has grown to 33 locations, while Seattle's nonprofit Real Change campaigned for permanent bathrooms but saw funds redirected during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic fueled revenue growth for a number of small and medium-sized diagnostic reagent companies, but as schools, businesses, and government agencies gradually scale back large-scale testing programs, these firms are being forced to rapidly adjust their business models to survive. Industry experts note that demand for home self-testing will not fade in the short term; some companies have partnered with pharmacy chains and distributors to tap into the consumer market, while others are shifting toward multi-pathogen testing. The future direction of the U.S. FDA's Emergency Use Authorization has become a key regulatory milestone of shared concern across the industry.

U.S. cities have long struggled to provide adequate public toilets, with the country averaging eight per 100,000 people. Philadelphia, responding to a hepatitis A outbreak, is installing Portland Loos, while Washington, D.C. is launching its own pilot program. The shortage disproportionately affects unhoused people, and cities are now exploring permanent, equitable solutions.

A photography book about Billie Holiday reached readers more than two months after its scheduled release date due to supply chain issues such as a grounded cargo ship and port congestion. This incident reflects the fragility and unpredictability of global logistics amid the pandemic and multiple shocks.

Over the past two years, fast-moving consumer goods companies such as Keurig Dr Pepper, PepsiCo, and Mondelēz International have successively announced targets to cut the use of virgin plastics in packaging over the coming decades, shifting toward more environmentally friendly alternatives like recycled plastics and paper. However, supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, limitations in the existing U.S. recycling system, and new variables such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict are posing complex challenges to these timelines. Industry experts point out that commitments were made without a foundation for achieving them, and price and supply fluctuations continue to affect progress. This article explores price volatility in virgin and recycled resins, structural issues in the recycling industry, cost pressures from paper substitute materials, and the far-reaching impact of high energy prices on the packaging industry.

Hoboken, New Jersey, became the first U.S. city to declare a climate emergency in 2017, prompting a climate action plan and renewable energy initiatives. Similar declarations on racism, housing, and affordability have emerged in Evanston, Milwaukee County, New York City, Portland, and Miami-Dade County. Experts and officials debate whether these proclamations catalyze real change or serve as public relations tools, with outcomes depending on follow-through, funding, and political will.