03.29.2025

Every 24 hours, 27,000 trees are cut down … just to make toilet paper. We think that’s far too many, and honeycomb agrees, which is why they created luxury 3-ply made from bamboo. It feels just like regular high-end toilet paper, but doesn’t harm trees.

You might be wondering: Why bamboo? It grows insanely fast—nearly 100x faster than the average tree—making it a sustainable option to save forests. Bamboo also has uniquely short fibers, which are perfect for creating soft toilet tissue you can feel good about. It’s biodegradable, 100% plastic-free, and honeycomb delivers straight to you.

The best part? 1440 readers can use code 1440 to get 30% off your first shipment until midnight.

Please support our sponsors!

Utah becomes first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water.

Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed legislation Thursday preventing people or government entities from adding fluoride to water systems in the state, effective May 7. Fluoride is a mineral that helps inhibit or reverse cavities and tooth decay and can be naturally found in water, soil, and rocks (see overview). As of 2022, roughly 44% of Utah's population received fluoridated water, according to the CDC (see stats)—among the lowest in the US. 

State Department formally notifies Congress it is dissolving USAID.

The State Department officially informed Congress of its plan to shutter the US Agency for International Development and transfer some of its functions to the department by July 1. The move, expected to face legal challenges, comes after the Trump administration laid off thousands of USAID employees and revoked funding for over 80% of the agency's programs. The administration has argued USAID mismanaged taxpayer funds and supported programs not aligned with US interests. See our previous write-up here. 

Nearly 500 cases of measles reported across 20 states, per CDC.

As of Friday, the measles outbreak in Texas had infected 400 people, while four other states are also experiencing outbreaks. The outbreaks—defined as three or more cases—include New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio, and Oklahoma. In total, the US has 483 confirmed measles cases, with 157 cases in children under the age of 5 and 204 in those between the ages of 5 and 19. See data from the CDC here. 

CoreWeave begins trading on Nasdaq after raising $1.5B in IPO.

The Nvidia-backed cloud computing firm provides graphics processing unit infrastructure to artificial intelligence developers. Its initial public offering is the largest tech IPO since 2021 after selling 37.5 million shares priced at $40 each. CoreWeave initially planned to sell 49 million shares for between $47 and $55 each. Its shares began trading at $39 each Friday and closed at $40. Learn more about IPOs on our 1440 Topics page. 

Trump pardons Nikola founder Trevor Milton in securities fraud case.

Milton was convicted in October 2022 on securities and wire fraud charges for falsely claiming to investors about the success of Nikola's electric and hydrogen-powered trucks. He was sentenced to four years in prison (but had been free on a $100M bail while appealing the case). President Donald Trump's pardon exempts Milton from serving prison time and paying restitution to Nikola shareholders, though he may still face civil lawsuits. 

New on 1440 Topics

Dear Readers—We've officially launched our series of 1440 Topics newsletters, taking deep dives into hot topics in each area. You can sign up for each individually, and they're all 100% free. Currently you can check out: 

1440 Business & Finance

Retail investors: Dive into what retail investing is and how it works—and how it occasionally results in sagas like the GameStop short squeeze (sign up here).

1440 Society & Culture 

Stephen King: Explore the Master of Horror's six-decade career, and his far-reaching influence on the genre (sign up here).

Stay tuned for more—we'll be launching in Science & Technology, Health & Medicine, World History, and more in the coming months!

In partnership with Med-X

Natural solutions are already better for the environment. But Med-X is taking it a step further: their natural pesticides outperform chemical alternatives in certain use cases. That’s led to 200% revenue growth in their $17B market. 

Ecommerce partnerships with Walmart, Amazon, and Kroger have helped them scale internationally. Now, they’re planning to list on the Nasdaq (ticker MXRX), but you don’t have to wait to invest. 

Times running out on this opportunity - invest in Med-X crowdfunding offering before 4/4.*

Today, we're sharing a story from reader Richard P. in Kansas City, Missouri. 

"As a teenager in the 1970s, I struggled with substance abuse. A bad LSD experience put me in the hospital with broken bones and a shattered spirit. My father never gave up on me. 'You could use some success,' he said to me one day. 'How about we rebuild the engine in your car?'"

"It was a 1973 Chevy Vega GT that burned a quart of oil with every tank of gas. Dad had been a Navy airplane mechanic during the Korean War, and spent his career as a mechanical engineer for John Deere. After my bones had healed, we took the Vega apart in Dad's garage, then put the pieces back together again. I drove the car to college a few weeks later, and thanks to the lessons learned, I was able to keep it running all the way through graduation."

"Twenty-plus years later, I was gainfully employed, married, with two children. Mom and Dad often came to visit. One morning, as I was leaving for work, Dad said to me, 'You're doing good, Richard. Keep doing what you're doing.' His affirmation nearly surpassed the gift of kindness he'd made decades earlier. Actions may speak louder than words, but the power of words should not be underestimated. Here's a photo of Dad and me in 1978, shortly after the Vega was reassembled."

What act(s) of kindness did you experience this week? Tell us here.