Times Leader

Here’s a bit of data most people probably don’t think about and don’t want to, regarding “e-waste,” the wide range of electronic stuff we purchase by the ton and discard by the year. It comes from theworldcounts.com:

NEW YORK — After struggling to hire workers for its outlet store in Dallas, Balsam Hill finally opened on Sept. 1. But the very next day, the online purveyor of high-end artificial holiday trees was forced to close after four of its five workers quit.

Many popular toys may sell out long before the holidays, thanks to ongoing pandemic-related disruptions. This could be a disaster — or a great opportunity to reshape how we celebrate.

VENICE, Italy — The Italian glassblowers of Murano have survived plagues and pandemics. They transitioned to highly prized artistic creations to outrun low-priced competition from Asia. But surging energy prices are shattering their economic model.