Latest news with #SmileHub
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kentucky sitting near bottom of rankings in environmental protection: Study
KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — A recent study showed that the U.S. produces over 292 million tons of waste annually, and Kentucky is one of the primary culprits. According to a SmileHub study, Americans produce more than 4.9 pounds of waste per day. SmileHub claimed that over 50% of Americans worry about the toxic waste pollution of soil and water sources. The study compared 50 states across three key factors: environmental protection, energy consumption and waste disposal, and emission and pollution contributions. The charity locating website said that Kentucky doesn't work as hard as other states in limiting its pollution. Kentucky sitting near bottom of rankings in environmental protection: Study Corydon man dead after deputy-involved shooting Longtime Kentucky representative, coach, educator dead at 85 In the study, SmileHub found that, after comparing all 50 states, Kentucky ranks 47th overall in environmental protection, only being outpaced by Kansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia. With a total score of 33.60, Kentucky ranks: 39th in environmental protection per capita 42nd in share of state land designated for parks and wildlife 37th in energy efficiency 41st in total tonnage of landfill waste per capita 31st in industrial toxins per square mile Regarding Kentucky's green initiatives, the Bluegrass ranks 42nd in share of population using green transportation, which is contributing to its overall rank of 20th in terms of vulnerability to climate change, the study found. Read more of the latest Kentucky news SmileHub data claims the overall top-ranking states in terms of environmental protection are California, Virginia, Oregon, Washington, and Vermont. As for overall scores in the study, the top five performing states are California, Washington, New York, Vermont, and Maryland. While Louisiana, West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, and North Dakota scrape the bottom of the barrel, according to SmileHub. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mississippi again ranks worst in disaster readiness: report
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A recent report reveals that Mississippi is still ill-equipped to deal with an onslaught of natural disasters. In 2024, 27 individual weather and climate disasters caused at least $1 billion in damages. This is shy of the 28 events observed in 2023. The $182.7 billion in damage that all storms caused last year is a burden on many states and their residents. However, SmileHub reports that it impacts Mississippi the most; the website ranked the state as the worst state for disaster preparedness for the second consecutive year. What to expect during the 2025 hurricane season | Tracking the Tropics Low marks remained unchanged in Mississippi over the period. This includes its distinction of having the 18th fewest disaster relief charities per capita and the twelfth lowest community resilience score nationally. The state still has the 11th-highest number of climate disasters, causing $1 billion in damage. Interestingly, the state seems to have a decent amount of emergency infrastructure. Mississippi's number of police and fire stations per capita is the 20th highest nationally. SmileHub also found that the state's emergency management budget is the 15th highest per capita. However, money or resources cannot stop weather events. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts another consecutive year of a busier-than-normal hurricane season for 2025. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
On World Cancer Day, Mississippi diagnosis and death rate looms
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – On a day intended to foster visibility and solidarity for those with cancer, the disease impacts Mississippi in a particularly profound way. Tuesday marks the annual celebration of World Cancer Day. The day seeks to bring humanity to and highlight the lives of those with the disease. Last year, experts forecasted diagnoses globally to roughly double from 20 to 35 million annually by 2050. However, Mississippi is particularly vulnerable to such an increase, as it currently has the country's highest cancer mortality rate. In the U.S. and Mississippi, cancer is the second leading cause of death. Mississippi diagnoses about 16,000 new cases yearly. About 6,500 people die from cancer in Mississippi annually. In 2022, the year with the latest data, Mississippi men had the highest cancer mortality rate nationally and women had the second highest mortality rate. Mississippi couple commits $25 million gift for UMMC cancer care, research Though improvements in health outcomes have arrived in recent decades, the state is disparately impacted by various forms of cancer. It has among the highest diagnosis and mortality rates nationally for breast, cervical, lung, leukemia, prostate, stomach and other cancers. A January SmileHub report also ranked Mississippi as the country's worst state for cancer research nationally. Cancer's impact is worse among certain racial groups. For instance, one in every eight U.S. women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. However, it is more likely to kill Black women than all other groups. The same ratio of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lives. Still, Black men are more likely to be diagnosed and die from it than their peers. Despite historical shortcomings, many seek to have a profound impact on the visibility of cancer patients and gaps in research. For instance, longtime Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler revealed her breast cancer diagnosis last October. A Madison couple recently donated $25 million to spur cancer research and improve patient care at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mississippi worst state for social activism: report
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – In a state historically known as a battleground for change, a new report reveals that the fruits of social activism and progress are wanting in Mississippi. Poverty and race are largely tied to Mississippi's legacy of social struggle. Though the state has made much progress since the 1960s, a SmileHub report reveals that the organizations driving change are few. As a result, the site listed Mississippi as the 50th worst state for social activism. The state ranked low nationally in various categories among all 50 states. For instance, Mississippi has the ninth fewest rights and activism charities per capita and the fourth fewest civic and social organizations per capita. The share of Mississippians involved in organizational membership is the 10th lowest nationally. State conditions may help to explain the low numbers. Mississippi ranks last nationally in access to public transportation, voter accessibility and the number of residents living in poverty. CDC: Teen birth rate in Mississippi now highest in US Mississippi has the highest infant mortality rate in the country. About 316 Mississippi infants, or about 9.11 out of 1,000 live births, died in 2022. The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) reported in 2024 that Black women had a maternal mortality rate four times higher than white women. Southern states are disproportionally ranked low in SmileHub's social activism analysis. The bottom 10 states in the analysis are in the South. SmileHub only put one Southern state, Virginia, in the top 10. Economic inequality persists nationwide. The median yearly income of white, non-Hispanic men is around $20,000 higher than that of Black men in the U.S. Mississippi's median annual income gap is the fifth highest nationally. Despite setbacks, Mississippi's most recent milestones indicate that advocating for societal change can work. The state's most recent step in racial progress was the retirement of its former state flag in 2020. In 2023, Mississippi expanded postpartum Medicaid coverage for new mothers from two to 12 months. Traction to expand Medicaid has largely stalled in the Mississippi Legislature this session. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
