Climate, Cash, & Crypto Chaos 🌍💸💥

Hey there, Benchies!

From gripping climate visualizations that reimagine your city’s future to investigative deep dives into legislative paychecks, this week’s newsletter is packed—and we couldnt be more excited to be bringing it into your inbox 😎

Explore how The Pudding and The Washington Post are making climate change impossible to ignore, uncover the winter drought that’s stalling New England’s recovery, and get the inside scoop on a cryptocurrency scam that brought down a small-town bank… this week’s dose of storybench has all the data, drama, and cutting-edge journalism you won’t want to miss ⬇️

Here is our featured content this week:

Your city, but hotter: How Derek Taylor and The Pudding used visualizations to recontextualize the story of climate change

Fresh baked from the content oven this week: Curious how your city’s climate might morph by 2070? I think the better question is… Who Isn’t?

Derek Taylor’s “Climate Zones” project for The Pudding offers us a glimpse into the future, illustrating how 70 cities across various climate zones could transform due to climate change. By comparing 2023 data with 2070 projections, Taylor reimagines urban climates, making the abstract tangible. Check out all the interactive visualizations and see how your hometown’s weather might evolve! 🏠

Cool Stuff Corner: What are we reading?

💰 Database: How much does your state lawmaker earn? 💰

Here’s one from the Boston Globe that we ❤️

Ever wondered how much your Massachusetts legislator pockets each year? Wonder no more, thanks to The Boston Globe.

In 2023, base salaries were $70,537, with travel stipends up to $27,291. Leadership roles and committee chairs snagged additional stipends, some exceeding $100,000. Curious about the specifics? This Globe interactive feature breaks down each lawmaker’s earnings.

A cold winter stalls New England’s recovery from our summer-fall drought ❄️

New England’s winter is up to its old tricks—can we take a second to talk about that blizzard, rain storm ice combo last weekend? 🥶 🙄

And yet, despite the frigid temps, the region’s snowpack remains unseasonably low, raising eyebrows among residents and experts. This unexpected combination of cold temperatures and minimal snowfall has intensified drought concerns, as the anticipated spring meltwater may fall short. Dive into the Boston Globe’s latest insights into the factors behind this puzzling weather pattern and its potential impact on New England’s water resources.

From the Vault🏛️

"Useful, beautiful and innovative." How the Washington Post's Harry Stevens reaches high engagement on climate and environment reporting 🌎

Harry Stevens, The Washington Post’s climate change, data analysis, and graphics columnist, is revolutionizing environmental journalism with his Climate Lab column. By transforming complex scientific data into engaging, interactive visualizations, Stevens makes climate change accessible to all. His innovative approach, including projects like “Watch the Earth Breathe for One Year,” allows audiences to grasp the real-time buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Take a peek at how Stevens combines data analysis and storytelling to captivate and inform! 🌎

Scrollytelling innovation: New York Times journalists on climate change, visualization, and intense teamwork

First of all, isn’t “scrollytelling” just the best word? For anyone who missed it, “Scrollytelling” is a storm for a web design technique that uses scrolling to tell a story—often incorporating text, images, videos, and other media to create an immersive experience for the reader. 

Now that that’s out of the way. Here’s a gem from the vault courtesy of Annetta Stogniew. As is its penchant, The New York Times is redefining digital storytelling with cutting-edge scrollytelling techniques, bringing climate change to life like never before. In an exclusive look behind the scenes, Times journalists reveal how they blend data visualization, design, and deep reporting to create immersive narratives. From intense cross-team collaboration to pushing technological boundaries, their work transforms complex science into gripping, interactive experiences. Discover how these innovations are shaping the future of journalism—and making climate change impossible to ignore. 📱

Photo of The Week 📷

The Cryptocurrency Scam That Turned a Small Town Against Itself

We’ve got a photo bonus for you this week – instead of one photo, a whole essay of them, complete with an awesome story. I know, you’re welcome. From the NYT this week, learn (and see) how one successful, financially sophisticated banker gambled his community’s money away.

In a shocking twist, Heartland Tri-State Bank’s CEO, Shan Hanes, embezzled $47 million, funneling it into a cryptocurrency scam that led to the bank’s collapse. Duped by a “pig butchering” scheme, Hanes believed he was making legitimate investments, only to see the funds vanish. His actions not only shuttered the Kansas-based bank but also wiped out shareholders’ savings. The Times is diving into this cautionary tale, highlighting the perils of unchecked crypto ventures and much more.

That's all we've got for this week! Thanks for reading, and let us know if there's anything you'd like to see in these newsletters or in our coverage at [email protected].

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