Trump’s rollbacks and funding cuts are affecting your food, water, and air — even if you don’t realize it.

How Donald Trump is affecting Americans' everyday lives

Grist staff

The cost to Rhode Island so far

• Over 47,000 Rhode Islanders will lose health insurance
  
• 10,000 Rhode Islanders are at risk of losing food assistance
  
• Nearly 6,000 Rhode Islanders could lose their job
  
• Combined with Trump’s reckless tariff agenda, the median household in Rhode Island will lose $1,300
  
• Rhode Islanders’ electricity bills will rise by 10.5%
• Trump’s reckless tariffs have already cost Rhode Island businesses $231.9 million

Lucas Burtin / Grist

Over the last six months, Americans have been inundated with a near-constant stream of announcements from the federal government — programs shuttered, funding cut, jobs eliminated, and regulations gutted. 

Donald Trump and his administration are executing a systematic dismantling of the environmental, economic, and scientific systems that underpin our society. The onslaught can feel overwhelming, opaque, or sometimes even distant, but these policies will have real effects on Americans’ daily lives.

In this new guide, Grist examines the impact these changes could have, and are already having, on the things you do every day. Flipping on your lights. Turning on your faucet. Paying household bills. Visiting a park. Checking the weather forecast. Feeding your family.

The decisions have left communities less safe from pollution, more vulnerable to climate disasters, and facing increasingly expensive energy bills, among other changes. Read on to see how.

— Katherine Bagley 

Economists Pan 'Insane' Trump national sales tax

Slams Canada over non-existent fentanyl trafficking

Jake Johnson

That's an old Soviet car - Russian, not American -
in the GOP post on Trump's national sales tax 

Donald Trump  used “emergency” authority to impose high tariff rates on imports from dozens of American trading partners, including Canada—a move that economists criticized as a senseless approach to global trade that will further increase costs for consumers who are already struggling to get by.

Trump outlined the new tariff rates in executive orders signed just ahead of his arbitrary August 1 deadline for U.S. trading partners to negotiate a deal with the White House, whose erratic, aggressive, and legally dubious approach has alarmed world leaders.

Under the president's new orders, Canadian goods that are not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will face 35% import duties, while steel and aluminum imports will face a 50% tariff rate.

Trump claimed Canada "has failed to cooperate in curbing the ongoing flood of fentanyl and other illicit drugs." But Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hit back in a statement early Friday, noting that Canada "accounts for only 1% of U.S. fentanyl imports and has been working intensively to further reduce these volumes."

"While we will continue to negotiate with the United States on our trading relationship, the Canadian government is laser-focused on what we can control: building Canada strong," Carney added. "Canadians will be our own best customer, creating more well-paying careers at home, as we strengthen and diversify our trading partnerships throughout the world."

Economist Brad Setser said that while the impact of the higher tariff on Canadian imports could be muted because of the exemption of USMCA-covered products such as oil, the 35% rate is still "insane" and "dumb."

"Same with the high tariff on Switzerland. Crazy," Setser wrote, pointing to the 39% rate for Switzerland imports. "This isn't just protectionism, it is bad protectionism—and will have all sorts of unintended consequences."

Trump congratulates himself

The new tariff rates for Canadian goods will take effect Friday while the higher rates for other nations such as Brazil (50%), India (25%), and Vietnam (20%) won't kick in until next week "to give Customs and Border Protection officials time to prepare," The Washington Post reported. Customs and Border Protection collects tariffs, which are effectively taxes paid by importers—who often pass those costs onto consumers in the form of higher prices.

"Trump's definition of 'winning' is hitting the American people with ever-higher taxes," Dean Baker, senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, wrote late Thursday.

Recent U.S. economic data indicates that Trump's tariffs are already putting upward pressure on prices—and companies are using the president's trade chaos as an excuse to drive up prices further and pad their bottom lines.

The Tax Foundation noted earlier this week that "a variety of food imports" will be impacted by Trump's tariffs, likely leading to "higher food prices for consumers." More than 80% of Americans are already concerned about the price of groceries and many are struggling to stay afloat, according to survey data released Thursday by The Century Foundation.

Baker warned Thursday that even nations that have agreed to trade frameworks with the U.S. are not out of the woods.

"Deals are meaningless to Trump. He'll break them in a second any time he feels like it," Baker wrote. "I trust everyone negotiating with Trump understands that fact."

Tariff tax you will pay on Friday

Clothes, cars, food tariffs supposedly going into effect on Friday when King Donald's national sales tax takes effect

TODAY, Tuesday: high heat and autos lead to UNHEALTHY ground level ozone pollution.

Until 8 PM Wednesday, Charlestown is under a heat advisory

By Will Collette

Source: National Weather Service 7-Day Forecast 41.38N 71.66W

Please watch out for the heat for the next few days and, if you have respiratory problems, try to stay in air conditioning. 

Combined heat and humidity will produce heat index values between 95 and 100 degrees.

This heat will combine with drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires, plus automobile emissions to produce air over Charlestown ranging from "moderate" (which is not good) to "unhealthy" tomorrow.

As you can see in the table below, DEM gives its forecast for both ground level ozone (vehicle-related) and fine particles (usually smoke-related).

The air quality forecast is pretty much in synch with the hot weather forecast.

Be careful out there.

Source: Air Quality Forecast | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

TUESDAY ALERT: 

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) forecasts that air quality will reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups due to elevated ground-level ozone on Tuesday, July 29. This alert is being issued for Washington and Newport Counties only.

Key Details:

• The highest ozone levels are expected in southern portions of Rhode Island at the immediate coastline.
• Peak levels begin late afternoon continuing well into the evening after sunset.
• Fine particles continue to be elevated, with moderate readings due to Canadian wildfire smoke.

Health Impacts:

Unhealthy ozone levels may cause:

• Throat irritation, coughing, and chest pain.
• Shortness of breath and increased risk of respiratory infections.
• Worsening of asthma and other lung conditions - particularly for children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing respiratory issues.

Recommended actions:

• Reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. 

• Take frequent breaks and choose less strenuous activities. 

• Monitor for symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath.

• People with asthma or lung conditions should follow their action plans and carry quick-relief medications.

• Schedule outdoor activities in the morning when ozone levels are lowest and typically good on the Air Quality index.

Stay Informed:

Air quality can change throughout the day. To stay informed, download the AirNOW app or visit www.airnow.gov for real-time updates and forecasts.

Additional information is also available on DEM’s air quality forecast page at www.dem.ri.gov/airquality.

For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter/X (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates. Sign up here to receive the latest press releases, news, and events from DEM's Public Affairs Office to your inbox. 

As Consumer Tax Credits Vanish, What Do You Need to Know?

We spoke to experts about what to keep in mind as incentives for solar, heat pumps and EVs are about to end.

By Dan Gearino

This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here.

Consumers are facing a Sept. 30 deadline to be eligible for tax credits for EVs, followed by a Dec. 31 deadline when credits vanish for rooftop solar, air source heat pumps and certain water heaters.

These are major purchases and customers will likely want to consider multiple options before making a selection, but there isn’t much time for research. To help, I’ve convened some experts to help you make good decisions.

First, how we got here: Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier this month, which repealed tax credits that had been created or expanded under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Since the EV credits expire first, we’ll start there. Until Sept. 30, the government has a $7,500 credit for qualifying new EVs and plug-in hybrids, and a $4,000 credit for qualifying used EVs. There is also a $7,500 credit under a different part of the law that applies to leased EVs.

If the measure of success is losing billions of dollars, than chalk one up for King Donald

Trump deals another blow to American automakers 

by Emily Singer, Daily Kos Staff

Donald Trump announced late on Tuesday that he and Japan reached a trade agreement, which will slap a 15% tariff on Japanese imports in exchange for Japan investing $550 billion in the U.S.

The so-called deal is another shit sandwich for Americans, especially U.S. car manufacturers. 

That's because Japanese cars imported into the U.S. will face a 15% tariff rate—lower than the 25% tariff American car companies currently face for imported auto parts. 

American automakers have already said Trump's tariffs have dealt a massive blow to their companies.

General Motors reported Tuesday that it lost $1 billion from April to June, attributing the losses to Trump's tariffs. And Stellantis, which manufactures American brands like Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge, said it lost a whopping $2.7 billion in the first half of 2025 because of Trump's tariffs.

That 15% rate is less than the shocking 25% tariff Trump had threatened against Japan if a deal wasn’t struck.

That’s why Japanese car stocks rose on Wednesday, with Toyota up about 13%.

“Toyota is up +8% on the news of a 15% tariff. Why? It's simple,” Spencer Hakimian, founder of the hedge fund Tolou Capital Management, wrote in a post on X. 

“Ford, GM, Tesla, and all the other American manufacturers are going to be paying 50% more for their steel, 50% more for their copper, 25% more for their Canadian production, 25% more for their Mexican production, and 55% on their Chinese production. Toyota only has to pay 15% more and they're done with all the shenanigans. Ford has to pay much more than that. A lot more in fact."

“We've given a Japanese car company an advantage over American car companies. All in hope of bringing auto jobs back to America,” he added.

The American Automotive Policy Council—which represents General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis—said on Wednesday that the Japanese trade agreement is a "bad deal for U.S. industry and U.S. auto workers."

But Trump’s trade policy is not hurting just automakers.

Goldman Sachs on Tuesday said that U.S. economic growth will slow in 2025 because of Trump’s tariffs. The bank’s chief economist, Jan Hatzius, wrote in a memo to clients that the tariffs “will eat into real income, at a time when consumer spending trends already look shaky.” 

Preschoolers are unwitting sponges for an evolving cocktail of household and environmental chemicals

Researchers tested 200 toddlers — 96 chemicals were lurking in their bodies

University of California - Davis Health

A national study published in Environmental Science & Technology finds children aged 2 to 4 years in the United States are routinely exposed to a broad range of potentially harmful chemicals. Many of the chemicals the researchers identified are not routinely monitored and may pose health risks.

The research was conducted by multiple institutions across the United States in coordination with the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO), a program supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The researchers analyzed urine samples from 201 children aged 2 to 4 years. They tested for 111 chemicals. Their study found:

• 96 chemicals were detected in at least five children.
• 48 chemicals were found in over half of the children.
• 34 chemicals were detected in more than 90% of children -- including nine chemicals not currently tracked in national health surveys like the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

"Our study shows that childhood exposure to potentially harmful chemicals is widespread. This is alarming because we know early childhood is a critical window for brain and body development," said Deborah H. Bennett, lead author and UC Davis professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences. "Many of these chemicals are known or suspected to interfere with hormones, brain development and immune function."

Children exposed to chemicals through everyday activities

The NIH-funded ECHO Cohort combines data from pregnancy and pediatric cohorts to examine the impacts of early environmental exposures on child health and development. This study looked at samples of 201 children from four states (California, Georgia, New York and Washington).

The researchers looked for childhood exposure to common environmental chemicals, including:

• Phthalates and phthalate alternatives used in plastics like toys and food packaging, as well as personal care products and household items.
• Parabens commonly used in cosmetics, lotions, shampoos and pharmaceuticals.
• Bisphenols found in plastic containers, food can linings and thermal paper receipts.
• Benzophenones found in sunscreens, cosmetics and plastics.
• Pesticides used in agricultural and residential pest control.
• Organophosphate esters (OPEs) used as flame retardants in furniture and building materials and as plasticizers in food packaging.
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), byproducts of combustion found in vehicle exhaust, grilled foods and tobacco smoke.
• Bactericides found in antibacterial soaps and personal care products.

Children are exposed to these environmental chemicals through everyday activities, such as eating, drinking, breathing indoor and outdoor air and touching contaminated surfaces.

Frequent hand-to-mouth contact, playing close to the ground, and higher intake rates relative to their smaller body weight make kids especially vulnerable to chemical exposure.

Trends and disparities

In addition to the widespread exposure, the researchers noted some trends.

• Levels of triclosan, parabens, PAHs and most phthalates decreased over the years the samples were collected (from 2010 to 2021).
• An alternative plasticizer, DINCH (di-iso-nonyl-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid), and emerging pesticides, such as the neonicotinoid acetamiprid, pyrethroid pesticides, and the herbicide 2,4-D, showed an upward trend.
• Firstborn children had significantly lower chemical levels than their younger siblings.
• Chemical levels were often higher in younger children (age 2) than in 3- or 4-year-olds.
• Children from racial and ethnic minority groups had higher levels of parabens, several phthalates and PAHs.

Most of the children's mothers had provided urine samples during pregnancy. This allowed the researchers to analyze the chemicals in the mother's urine with the chemicals in the children's urine.

They found the children had higher levels of several chemicals than their mothers did during pregnancy. These included two phthalates, bisphenol S (often used as a BPA replacement) and the pesticide biomarkers 3-PBA and trans-DCCA.

Need for more monitoring and regulation

The researchers emphasize that further studies are necessary to comprehend the long-term health implications of these chemicals.

"Exposure to certain chemicals in early childhood -- such as pesticides, plasticizers and flame retardants -- has been linked to developmental delays, hormone disruption and other long-term health issues," said Jiwon Oh, first author of the study and a postdoctoral scholar in the UC Davis Department of Public Health Sciences. "This new study highlights the urgent need for expanded biomonitoring and stronger regulations to protect children from harmful exposures."

A complete list of authors and funders appears in the paper.

How to limit chemical exposure

It is impossible to eliminate all chemical exposures. Yet, there are many simple steps parents can take to help reduce their children's contact with harmful chemicals.

1. Choose safer products: Look for "phthalate-free," "paraben-free" and "fragrance-free" labels.
2. Avoid plastics labeled #3, #6, and #7: These may contain BPA or similar chemicals.
3. Wash hands frequently, especially before eating.
4. Ventilate your home and use HEPA filters, when possible.
5. Limit pesticide exposure: Wash produce thoroughly and consider organic options.
6. Clean regularly: Use a damp cloth to reduce dust that may contain chemical residues

"Moderate" air quality today and tomorrow

"Moderate" is not good - high ground level ozone from vehicles and fine particles in the air, including those from fireworks and faraway wildfires

From Rhode Island DEM: 

Forecast Discussion

Saturday, July 5, 2025 | Updated 9:15 AM

For Saturday, July 5th, lots of particle pollution from overnight fireworks hang around, with highest readings Providence to the south and over the eastern half of the state. 

Some lingering wildfire smoke will hang around as well, making for mid MODERATE PM. Ozone expected to reach MODERATE. 

Heat returns on Sunday, with SW flow, sunshine, and temperatures near 90F inland. Ozone and fine particles to reach MODERATE statewide. A steady south flow on Monday will increase dewpoints to the 70s, continued hot in the 90s. Enough ocean air should mix in for GOOD air quality.

Clouds and showers for Tuesday and very muggy. Highs in the mid 80s.

How Internet of Things devices affect your privacy – even when they’re not yours

You're not being paranoid to believe you're being watch and recorded because you are

David Sella-Villa, University of South Carolina

Some unusual witnesses helped convict Alex Murdaugh of the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.

The first was Bubba, Maggie’s yellow Labrador retriever. Prosecutors used a recording of Bubba to place Alex at the site of the murders. Given Alex’s presence at the crime scene, other witnesses then revealed his movements, tracked his speed and explained what he had in his hands. Those other witnesses were a 2021 Chevy Suburban and Maggie, Paul and Alex’s cellphones, which all provided data. They’re all part of the Internet of Things, also known as IoT.

The privacy implications of devices connected to the internet are not often the most important consideration in solving a murder case. But outside of criminal prosecution, they affect people’s privacy in ways that should give everyone pause.

The Internet of Things

The Internet of Things includes any object or device that automatically sends and receives data via the internet. When you use your phone to message someone or social media to post something, the sharing is deliberate. But the automatic nature of connected devices effectively cuts humans out of the loop. The data from these devices can reveal a lot about the people who interact with them – and about other people around the devices.

As an assistant professor of law at the University of South Carolina, I have watched as new kinds of connected devices have entered the market. New devices mean new ways to collect data about people.

Connected devices collect information from different contexts. Take your refrigerator. As a non-IoT device, your fridge generated no data about your kitchen, your food or how often you peeked inside. Your relationship with the fridge was effectively private. Only you knew about that midnight snack or whether you ogled a co-worker’s lunch.

Now, smart refrigerators can respond to voice commands, show images of the items in your fridge, track who opens it, suggest recipes, generate grocery lists and even contact your car to let you know the milk has expired. All these functions require continuous streams of data.

AIR POLLUTION ALERT: Really bad air today

Heat plus cars = dangerous smog in South County

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) forecasts that air quality will reach UNHEALTHY levels due to elevated ground-level ozone on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, during the afternoon and continuing into the late evening. Fine particles readings from wildfire smoke and local buildup are expected to reach MODERATE statewide. 

Key Details:

• The highest ozone levels are expected in southern portions of Rhode Island.
• Peak levels begin late afternoon, continuing into the evening and even after sunset.

Health Impacts:

Unhealthy ozone levels may cause:

• Throat irritation, coughing, and chest pain
• Shortness of breath and increased risk of respiratory infections
• Worsening of asthma and other lung conditions particularly for children, the elderly, and others with pre-existing respiratory issues.

Recommended Actions:

• Reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion.
• Take frequent breaks and choose less strenuous activities.
• Monitor for symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath.
• People with asthma or lung conditions should follow their action plans and carry quick-relief medications.
• Schedule outdoor activities in the morning when ozone levels are lowest and typically GOOD on the Air Quality index.

Air quality can change throughout the day. To stay informed, download the AirNOW app or visit www.airnow.gov for real-time updates and forecasts.

Additional information is also available on DEM’s air quality forecast page at www.dem.ri.gov/airquality.

For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter/X (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates. Sign up here to receive the latest press releases, news, and events from DEM's Public Affairs Office to your inbox.

URI vertebrate expert offers guidance on ways to keep turtles and wildlife safe in summer

Let's start with not running them over with your car or lawn mower, and then more

Kristen Curry

Photo Tyler DeVos

It’s turtle season, according to a professor of natural resources science at the University of Rhode Island who specializes in reptiles and amphibians.

In southern New England, Eastern box turtles and other species of native turtles lay eggs in early summer, after becoming more active and sometimes crossing trails and roads, beginning in May. 

While watching for turtles on roadways during the summer months is one important way to preserve local turtle populations, New Englanders can help protect native turtles year-round with increased awareness.

At URI, conservation biologist Nancy Karraker focuses primarily on the consequences of environmental change for reptiles and amphibians. She has examined the impacts of habitat loss and degradation, pollution, climate change, invasive species, and disease on biodiversity in North America and Southeast Asia, and consults and collaborates across the country and around the world.

Her work is applied science, she says.

“It’s not enough to say, ‘watch out for turtles on roads,’” she says, “though we do want people to do that.”

Bad air toady