For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat was also on a few menus. But today, demand for whale products is at a historic low. And yet some countries still have a whaling industry. We find out why. (Part 2 of “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”)
- SOURCES:
- Jay Alabaster, doctoral student at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.
- Bjorn Basberg, professor emeritus of economic history at the Norwegian School of Economics.
- Eric Hilt, professor of economics at Wellesley College.
- Kate O’Connell, senior policy consultant for the marine life program at the Animal Welfare Institute.
- Paul Watson, environmental activist and founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
- RESOURCES:
- “The Soviet Union Killed an Appalling Number of Whales. I Wanted to Know Why,” by Ryan Tucker Jones (Slate, 2022).
- “Behind the Smile: The Multi-Billion Dollar Dolphin Entertainment Industry,” by World Animal Protection (2019).
- “Japan to Resume Commercial Whaling, Defying International Ban,” by Daniel Victor (The New York Times, 2018).
- “Why Is There Not More Outrage About Japan’s Barbaric Practice of Whaling?” by Boris Johnson (The Telegraph, 2018).
- “Margarine Once Contained a Whole Lot More Whale,” by Sarah Laskow (Gastro Obscura, 2017).
- “3 Million Whales Were Killed in the 20th Century: Report,” (N.B.C. News, 2015).
- “The Spectacular Rise and Fall of U.S. Whaling: An Innovation Story,” by Derek Thompson (The Atlantic, 2012).
- In Pursuit of Leviathan: Technology, Institutions, Productivity, and Profits in American Whaling, 1816-1906, by Lance E. Davis, Robert E. Gallman, and Karin Gleiter (1997).
- “Norway Is Planning to Resume Whaling Despite World Ban,” by Craig R. Whitney (The New York Times, 1992).
- EXTRAS:
- “The First Great American Industry,” by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
The Economics of Everyday Things: Used Hotel Soaps
Hotel guests adore those cute little soaps, but is it just a one-night stand? In our fourth episode of The Economics of Everyday Things, Zachary Crockett discovers what happens to those soaps when we love…
533. Will the Democrats “Make America Great Again”?
For decades, the U.S. let globalization run its course and hoped China would be an ally. Now the Biden administration is spending billions to bring high-tech manufacturing back home. Is this the beginning of a…
The Economics of Everyday Things: “My Sharona”
Can a hit single from four decades ago still pay the bills? Zachary Crockett f-f-f-finds out in the third episode of our newest podcast, The Economics of Everyday Things.
Is Economic Growth the Wrong Goal? (Ep. 429 Update)
The economist Kate Raworth says the aggressive pursuit of G.D.P. is trashing the planet and shortchanging too many people. She has proposed an alternative — and the city of Amsterdam is giving it a try.…
The Economics of Everyday Things: Girl Scout Cookies
How does America’s cutest sales force get billions of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs into our hands every year? Zachary Crockett finds out in the second episode of our newest podcast, The Economics of Everyday…
532. Do You Know Who Owns Your Vet?
When small businesses get bought by big investors, the name may stay the same — but customers and employees can feel the difference. (Part 2 of 2.)
Introducing “The Economics of Everyday Things”
A new podcast hosted by Zachary Crockett. In the first episode: Gas stations. When gas prices skyrocket, do station owners get a windfall? And where do their profits really come from?
531. Should You Trust Private Equity to Take Care of Your Dog?
Big investors are buying up local veterinary practices (and pretty much everything else). What does this mean for scruffy little Max* — and for the U.S. economy? (Part 1 of 2.) *The most popular…
Extra: Samin Nosrat Always Wanted to Be Famous
And with her book “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” she succeeded. Now she’s not so sure how to feel about all the attention.
530. What’s Wrong with Being a One-Hit Wonder?
We tend to look down on artists who can’t match their breakthrough success. Should we be celebrating them instead?
