Viewpoints Radio

There are more than 438,000 employees working in childcare, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. As of May 2021, the media hourly wage in this sector is around $13/hour. With rising costs and many other open jobs, many are leaving their positions in childcare. We speak with two experts about the growing early childcare gap in the U.S. and why bettering the sector starts with valuing these workers more.

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The average garment worker in Bangladesh is paid about $86/month. A livable wage in the country is around $200/month. Even in the U.S., it’s not much better. Most employees in U.S. garment factories work 60-70 hour per week and are paid $300/week, totaling $1,200/month, according to the Garment Worker Center. Longtime fashion writer and industry expert Dana Thomas joins us to help us understand the labor and environmental crisis pl...

Iliana Regan has worked in the restaurant biz in almost every position imaginable. From mid-tier service to high-end fine dining, she’s a self-taught, Michelin-starred chef that’s known for her ability to create masterful dishes using naturally sourced and foraged ingredients. However, as she’s risen the ranks over the years and made a name for herself, she’s also had several low points in her life that have shaped who she is today...

Remember how much fun it was to crack open a new coloring book and crayons when you were a kid? These days, adults are reliving that thrill in massive numbers. We talk to two of the most popular artists of these books about why and how they put them together, what the attraction is for adults and how it can benefit everyone to sit down, unwind and focus on the page in front of them.

Learn more at: viewpointsradio.org/finding-calm...

While many Americans have grown to be increasingly eco-conscious, some things remain the same. It seems like all too often it’s common to see a driver chuck a cigarette butt out the window or throw one on the sidewalk. We speak with expert Thomas Novotny about how this type of littering affects the environment and the wildlife within it.

Learn more at: viewpointsradio.org/the-environmental-damage-caused-by-millions-of-littered-c...

The pandemic exposed the fragility of our global food system and just how much rely on the many components that make up the food supply chain. At the height of the pandemic, when there were numerous food production and shipping delays, farmers across the U.S. stepped up and contributed to their local food supply. With domestic farms declining, America is extremely reliant on foreign shipments. We discuss the many challenges farmers...

Wondering what to do with all those face masks you’ve accumulated over the past two years? Well, these face coverings are good for more than just protecting against COVID-19. Long before the pandemic, millions of people in countries across East Asia were accustomed to wearing a mask when they had a cold, it was peak flu season or just in a crowded space. We speak with two experts about the future of face masks in the U.S.

Most of us point to McDonald’s as the founding of fast food as we know it. But the American staple began nearly a hundred years ago with two chains, White Castle and A&W. We speak with Adam Chandler, journalist and author of Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey Through the Heart of America’s Fast-Food Kingdom about the events that fed into the rapid rise of the fast-food industry and how different chains are fighting to stay present an...