Kristin Toussaint

New York

Staff Editor @fastcoimpact / words in @teenvogue @thegoods @VICE @metro_US @BostonDotCom she/her @WGAEast member [email protected]

Articles

Your soap, lotion, and shampoo may contain formaldehyde

3 days ago | fastcompany.com | Kristin Toussaint

Common personal care and beauty products like lotions, soaps, shampoos, eyeliner, and even eyelash glue can contain formaldehyde or preservatives that release formaldehyde-a known carcinogen that has been linked to cancer. And Black and Latina women could be at particular risk. Formaldehyde is a preservative (it's a key ingredient of embalming fluid) and so it's sometimes added to beauty products as a way to extend their shelf life and inhibit the growth of bacteria or mold.
The new pope, Leo XIV, has spoken out about urgent need for climate change action

1 week ago | fastcompany.com | Kristin Toussaint

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church, seems to have similar views on the environment as his predecessor, Pope Francis. Prevost, who is taking the name Pope Leo XIV, has been outspoken about the need for urgent climate action and voiced his support for the use of climate technology such as solar panels and EVs.Now Pope Leo XIV seems poised to follow in Francis's environmental footsteps.
Houston is sinking half an inch per year-and it's not alone

1 week ago | fastcompany.com | Kristin Toussaint

In Texas, parts of Houston are sinking at a rate faster than 10 millimeters-or about two-fifths of an inch-per year. Parts of Dallas and Fort Worth are sinking more than 5 millimeters per year. While that may sound small, it adds up: Every few millimeters that a city sinks can cause cracks in roads or tilt building foundations, and make that region more vulnerable to extreme flooding.
Trump plans to end Energy Star. It saves Americans $40 billion on energy bills annually

1 week ago | fastcompany.com | Kristin Toussaint

If you've gone shopping for a home appliance sometime in the last 30 years, you've probably noticed a blue "Energy Star" label on certain water heaters, stoves, light bulbs, and even windows. The program, launched by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1992, helps consumers identify energy-efficient products. But now the Trump administration is planning to shut it down. President Donald Trump has been attacking energy-efficiency measures since his return to office.
Trump's tariffs added $4M to this Virginia wind project in just a few weeks

1 week ago | fastcompany.com | Kristin Toussaint

Off the coast of Virginia, Dominion Energy is building what will be the largest offshore wind facility in the U.S., a 2.6-gigawatt project that will provide energy to as many as 660,000 homes. It has been under construction since 2023 and is expected to be completed by 2026-but President Donald Trump's tariffs are adding to the project's costs.
The Fuel Store mostra que o CO2 pode ser o combustível do futuro | Fast Company Brasil

2 weeks ago | fastcompanybrasil.com | Kristin Toussaint

No bairro de NoHo (abreviação de "North of Houston Street"), na ilha de Manhattan, a área movimentada ao redor da Lafayette Street já foi conhecida como Gasoline Alley por abrigar diversas oficinas mecânicas e postos de gasolina. Embora Nova York ainda esteja cheia de carros, os postos de gasolina em Manhattan tornaram-se cada vez mais raros (hoje não há nenhum em Gasoline Alley e só um em toda a parte sul da ilha).
Trump's first 100 days were marked by chaos. That's unlikely to change

2 weeks ago | fastcompany.com | Kristin Toussaint

President Donald Trump's first 100 days of his second term in office have been marked by whipsawing tariff policies; declarations that handicap his own goals; confusion as federal workers are fired, rehired, and fired again; and government officials quitting. In other words: chaos. And the next 100 days will likely be full of chaos, too. Some of this is intentional, like the rapid clip of executive orders, DOGE's assault on federal workers, and the spate of illegal deportations.
Bezos-backed Slate Auto reveals its new customizable $20,000 EV - Fast Company

3 weeks ago | fastcompany.com | Kristin Toussaint

Slate Auto’s new vehicle is designed to make EVs more accessible by making most features optional add-ons.
Bezos-backed Slate Auto reveals its new customizable $20,000 EV

3 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Kristin Toussaint

More than 50 House Democrats demand answers after whistleblower report on DOGEOver fifty Democratic lawmakers have signed a letter demanding answers from senior U.S. government officials about a recent potential exposure of sensitive data about American workers. 5 takeaways about NPR's reporting on the whistleblower report about DOGE at the NLRB The letter is addressed to the …
After 3 years without a contract, Starbucks workers are turning to civil disobedience

3 weeks ago | fastcompany.com | Kristin Toussaint

Michelle Eisen, a 15-year Starbucks veteran, is a barista for the coffee chain at a location in Buffalo-the first Starbucks store to unionize back in December 2021, in fact. But on a Tuesday in March, Eisen was at a Pittsburgh Starbucks, to participate in what Starbucks Workers United members have dubbed "sip-ins." A spin on "sit-ins," they involve union workers and allies hanging out for hours in a Starbucks store, ordering drinks under names like "Union Strong" and leaving tips for workers.