Nov 28, 2019 - Technology

Climate activists protest Amazon ahead of Black Friday

An Amazon worker packs items in east England on Nov. 27, 2019. Photo: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images

Dozens of French environmental activists protested at an Amazon warehouse on Thursday, ahead of other "Block Friday" protests planned in France, AP reports.

The big picture: Free and fast shipping — driven by Amazon — pushes e-commerce companies to add more trucks and jets to gain a competitive edge, and delivery boxes are exacerbating the global plastics crisis, Axios' Erica Pandey reports.

The backdrop: Environmental groups like Extinction Rebellion in Canada and Climate Strike Geneva are also planning "Block Friday" events to protest the environmental costs of packing and shipping goods.

  • In New York City, Amazon employees are protesting current working conditions ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. They are asking for three 30-minute breaks in 10+ hour shifts instead of two 15 minute breaks and one 30 minute break, Vox reports.
  • Amazon workers experienced more weekly injury counts on Cyber Monday and Prime Day in 2018, according to a report released this week form the Center for Investigative Reporting.

Go deeper: Retail's climate cost is going up

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  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 6,858,130 — Total deaths: 199,890 — Total recoveries: 2,615,949 — Total tests: 95,841,281 — Map.
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  4. Media: Conservative blogger who spread COVID-19 misinformation worked for Fauci's agency.
  5. Politics: House Democrats file legislation to fund government through Dec. 11.
  6. World: U.K. upgrades COVID alert level as Europe sees worrying rise in infections — "The Wake-Up Call" warns the West about the consequences of mishandling a pandemic.
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Why it matters: Puerto Rico is locked out of most federal funding available to U.S. states to help expand internet service. The island risks being left behind as carriers expand and upgrade high-speed internet networks elsewhere, even as infrastructure-damaging tropical storms come faster and harder and the pandemic makes broadband even more of a must-have.

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