Cobalt Smart Communities
Trend Watch How does this affect community members? | How does this affect staff? | How do we respond? |
May 2019 Summary of Select Trends
Click on the source in (parenthesis) to visit the full article TECH It’s hard to provide efficient routes for emergency vehicles and first responders. In Dubai, first responders are taking lessons on hover bikes to arrive and depart a scene as quickly as possible – at up to 15 feet over the street, grass or water. The goal is to implement hover bikes in 2020. (CNN) DATA Cell phone data can provide powerful insights to local communities if the privacy issues are managed ethically. How many people were downtown last week? Where did they come from? How many people used a section of trail or river? What are their ages, income and characteristics? These insights help with both outreach and estimating economic impact. (Cobalt) ENVIRONMENT The Starbucks coffee cup is making news. The coffee giant goes through 6 billion cups every year and has recently announced testing on recyclable and compostable cups. The company announced a plan to phase out plastic straws by 2020, and now has partnered with McDonald’s and Closed Loop Partners to support a global competition to develop a new single-use cup. (CNBC) INFRASTRUCTURE The number of new, volunteer firefighters has declined sharply in the last two years in North Carolina - a trend many locales are seeing in the US. And paid firefighter positions have declined by 65% since the 1980s. This is a nationwide trend and crisis, as fire departments are pulling back on funding, resources, and some are closing altogether. Communities are responding with revised recruiting methods. (Governing) DEMOGRAPHICS More than 14 million young adults nationwide — or 21.9% of people ages 23 to 37 — live with their mothers, up from 12.7% in 2000. More millennials live with their moms in areas where rents are less affordable, and most still living at home consider deteriorating affordability of housing in the past 15 years the top reason, despite a strong rebound from the housing crisis in 2008. Some may simply be unable to afford local housing costs, others could afford those costs, but choose to live with mom instead to more easily save for a down payment, security deposit or other big expense. (Zillow) HEALTHCARE Outbreaks of measles are popping up all over the US and Europe in staggering numbers after the disease was considered extinct in 2000. Hotspots around Chicago, LA, and Miami are being closely watched by the CDC and government officials. A total of 47 states allow nonmedical vaccine exemptions: all but West Virginia, Mississippi and California. Some allow only religious exemptions, while others allow exemptions based on personal or philosophical beliefs. (CNN) TECH It’s been only a little over a year since news first hit the mainstream media about the Spectre and Meltdown processor vulnerabilities affecting Intel chips - along with nearly every computer in the world. This month researchers released information about a new class of flaws affecting all modern chips, including chips used in Apple devices. The attack is being called Fallout, as attackers are finding vulnerabilities when they come back snooping in previously overlooked areas. (The Hacker News) RETIREMENT For decades the ideal retirement age has been 63, as Social Security benefits can be drawn starting at age 62.5. Today, the average retirement age is now 66 - up from 63 (the magic number) in 2002. For many, retirees are deciding to postpone retiring to hold off on drawing on Social Security funds, save and earn more interest on investments, and earn money to fund a longer lifespan. Coupled with a longer lifespan, retirees are finding it more difficult to avoid poverty in retirement due to stagnant or declining wages and rising costs of living. (US News & World Report) HEALTHCARE Forty percent of Americans have at least one food allergy today - up fifty percent from 1997 to 2011. In recent years, US schools have banned peanut butter in an effort to protect students in an increasing number with peanut allergies. Some research points to these bans having no impact on decreasing the number of epinephrine administrations in schools. (FARE) JOBS Earlier this month, thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers across the US logged out of the ride sharing apps for as much as a full day in protest to low wages. Lyft filed its IPO earlier this year, and many drivers are still making less than $10 per hour. One big question remains: Does this independent contractor-dependent business model really working for the bottom line? (Vox) |
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For more information on how Cobalt can help you adapt and thrive in the changing demographic, economic and social environment, visit the Cobalt website or reach out to us by email. Let us know if you need anything at all for benchmarking or research data; we are here for you.
Cobalt Community Research is a national 501c3 nonprofit, non-partisan coalition that helps local governments, schools and membership organizations measure, benchmark, and affordably engage communities through high-quality metrics, surveys, dynamic population segmentation, focus groups and work groups. Cobalt combines big data with local insights to help organizations thrive as changes emerge in the economic, demographic and social landscape. Explore how we can help by calling 877.888.0209, or by emailing [email protected].
Cobalt Community Research is a national 501c3 nonprofit, non-partisan coalition that helps local governments, schools and membership organizations measure, benchmark, and affordably engage communities through high-quality metrics, surveys, dynamic population segmentation, focus groups and work groups. Cobalt combines big data with local insights to help organizations thrive as changes emerge in the economic, demographic and social landscape. Explore how we can help by calling 877.888.0209, or by emailing [email protected].