🚦 A fourth traffic signal?

Good morning. This is Shades of the Day, the daily newsletter that summarizes and organizes the different shades of perspective in news and culture so that you can see the big picture quickly.

Here at Shades we believe that seeing multiple points of view is the best way to stay informed. The easiest (and most fun!) way to do that is with the Shades mobile app, where this newsletter’s content is pulled from.

It’s Saturday, March 23 — here’s what you’ll find in today’s newsletter:

• The rising demand for copper

• The idea to introduce a fourth traffic signal

• 4 quick hits of news from the last 24 hours

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)

P.S. You may notice that we’ve updated our branding. We’re preparing to release the biggest-ever update to the Shades mobile app, which includes a new look and feel, plus social community features. If you want to be a beta tester for the new app, email me at [email protected] and I’ll get you access.

⚒️ Copper in high demand

Copper is essential for green tech, but its mining raises environmental concerns.

⚒️ Bloomberg: Copper plays a vital role in green energy. But its lacking production pace could hinder the race to net zero.

⚒️ Standard.net says U.S. mining policy must catch up. Laws must be revamped to accommodate the essential copper boom for green energy.

⚒️ But the Salt Lake Tribune thinks copper mining is anything but green: Open-pit copper mining devastates ecosystems and communities.

⚒️ WBUR agrees: Green energy's demand for copper comes with a cost — often to local ecosystems and indigenous lands.

⚒️ Still, ING says the situation is good for copper investors: Green energy needs and supply constraints are fueling a rally.

🚦 A fourth traffic signal?

Some say adding a 4th traffic signal is the future for self-driving cars and urban flow, but others worry that it's not safe.

🚦 Popular Science thinks that adding a fourth “white” traffic signal could revolutionize urban travel. Self-driving cars using the signal can slash traffic by 40%.

🚦 You can read the NC State research championing the “white phase” traffic signal here. The light would signal drivers to follow the car ahead, creating a smoother flow.

🚦 But a Redditor on r/Cars says the idea is ludicrous: Why bother with a mass adoption of automated cars? They seem like lawsuits waiting to happen.

🚦 And maybe the Redditor has a point. New Atlas notes that the idea still faces some practicality issues — one of them being how to clue pedestrians into the “white” signal.

Quick hits

⚖️ In Jackson, Mississippi, six former law enforcement officers received sentences for the torture of two Black men.

📈 Trump's new social media venture is set to go public, potentially netting him billions despite past business bankruptcies.

🌸 Stumpy, the beloved cherry blossom tree in Washington, DC, faces removal due to sea wall repairs.

⚫ ISIL's ISIS-K claimed a deadly attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, killing over 115 and injuring around 120.

Thanks for reading. If you have any feedback about our newsletter and what changes you’d like to see, please share it here — or you can email me at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!