Student Hunger
With youth unemployment high, college debt a crushing burden, and a degree not quite worth what it used to be, college graduates have become a small but growing demographic of the recipients of the Supplemental Assistance Food Program, more commonly known as food stamps. The program is currently at a record high of over 46 million recipients. Although these students are a small minority of those in the program, their participation is growing at a rate faster than that of people their same age with less education (and less debt).
Wind
The Twin Ports (Duluth-Superior) are experiencing a boost in shipping as wind farm projects across the country rush to finish construction before a federal tax incentive ends. The incentive, which provides a break of 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour, is to expire at the end of the year. While the wind industry has seen significant growth in recent years, roughly doubling its capacity between 2008 and 2011, the end of the tax credit could spell hardship for the industry.
Image Source: National Park Service
Between this and the X-Cel solar thing, it seems like everyone's trying to pull the plug on green energy. Romney said he'd end all subsidies.... this is climate crunch time, folks.
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