The Daily Money: Which companies are cutting emissions?

Good morning! It's Daniel de Visé with your Daily Money.

Americans are trying to do their part to fight climate change by buying electric cars, installing solar panels and making decisions large and small that reduce their carbon footprint. Some companies are, too.

Those actions can make a big difference: between them, the U.S. industrial and commercial sectors were responsible for 25% of the nation's total carbon dioxide emissions in 2023, Elizabeth Weise reports.

But which companies are doing the best at reducing their carbon footprint? To answer that question, USA TODAY partnered with market research firm Statista to create the second annual America's Climate Leaders list.

What companies made the list?

Melinda French Gates pledges $1B to women's rights groups

Philanthropist Melinda French Gates has announced that she's investing $1 billion over the next two years in causes that pursue women's rights and gender equity on a global scale, Sara Chernikoff reports.

The ex-wife of billionaire Bill Gates and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said Tuesday that $200 million of the investment will go toward organizations fighting for reproductive and gender rights in the U.S.

In a New York Times guest essay, French Gates said that she was compelled to support reproductive rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Who's getting the money?

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Is fast food becoming a luxury?

Yes, say four-fifths of Americans in a new survey about fast-food inflation.

Fast food prices are up 4.8% since last year and 47% since 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In a new survey of more than 2,000 consumers, the personal finance site LendingTree found that many diners are wincing at their restaurant receipts.

Here are the findings.

About The Daily Money

Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer and financial news from USA TODAY, breaking down complex events, providing the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from Fed rate changes to bankruptcies impacts you.

Daniel de Visé covers personal finance for USA Today.