By Thierry Malleret, economist Monthly Barometer Recent history shows us that economic growth can’t be truly green, so what are the broad consequences for investors? (1) Any industry or company seen as being particularly damaging to ecology will suffer; (2) Any profitable business perceived as minimizing ecologically bad outcomes while maximizing socially good ones will prosper; (3) Militant environmentalism will radicalize in the future, wreaking…
A book that just came out (Heart: A History, from Sandeep Jauhar, a cardiologist) sheds some fascinating light on the connection between wellbeing and cardiac issues. Put in the simplest possible terms: Stress can kill. As the author explains, the connection between our physical heart and our emotions is an intimate one. Sentiments, such as fear and grief, can cause cardiac injury by causing blood…
MONTHLY BAROMETER The debate about whether “green growth” will succeed in decoupling GDP growth from the total use of natural resources (that has been raging for years) is now settled by academic research. Every single reputable study shows that, even after accounting for rapid technological innovation and new taxes (such as a global carbon tax), there are physical limits to how efficiently we can use…
An issue to watch is how “digiceuticals” (digital therapeutics) will affect the wellness industry. This new generation of digital medicines that rely on software for curing or managing a disease is booming—200 deals closed in the US in the first half of this year, representing a cumulative investment of $3.4 billion. They go beyond wellness apps, whose purpose is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and…
In Mexican Town With Little Water, Coca-Cola Is Everywhere. So Is Diabetes —The New York Times, July 14, 2018 Drinkable water is increasingly scarce in San Cristóbal de las Casas, a mountain town in Mexico where neighborhoods have running water just a few times a week. So, many residents drink Coca-Cola to hydrate, which is easier to find than bottled water and nearly as cheap.…
There is one particular segment of the wellness industry that is growing fast and that will most likely grow even faster in the years to come: plastic surgery for men. The stigma that has long been associated with it is disappearing, and future growth will be spurred by new attitudes about male grooming and beauty espoused by millennials and younger generations. More “C-level” patients (CEOs,…
