Tech
Micron Megafab Project Faces a New Hurdle as Activists Seek a Benefits Deal
Days after Micron broke ground on a $100 billion chip factory in New York state, a coalition of environmentalists, labor unions, and civil rights groups are urging the US tech giant to sign a deal that would make a series of promises to be a good neighbor legally enforceable.
Micron’s megafab to make memory chips is on track to become the biggest commercial development in state history and the largest chipmaking complex in the country. Officials held a groundbreaking ceremony in the city of Clay, near Syracuse, last Friday. The first chips could arrive in five years, though the entire site won’t be finished for 20 years.
Organizers and members of the Central New York United for Community Benefits Coalition—composed of about 25 mostly local advocacy groups—tell WIRED that they welcome the project. They also appreciate that Micron has already pledged to hire locally and address some of the physical and social impacts of its construction. But the coalition members believe oversight is lacking and that Micron could get away with polluting the environment and worsening the region’s economic inequality.
“We want to have real, strong, transparent, and enforceable commitments,” says Anna Smith, a senior researcher at Jobs to Move America, a union-friendly national nonprofit that is helping to organize the coalition.
On Wednesday, the coalition published a letter emailed to Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra inviting him to meet and begin negotiations on what’s known as a community benefits agreement, which would codify the company’s pledges on hiring, environmental protection, and local investment.
Micron did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.
Companies such as Micron aren’t obligated to strike deals with community groups. But the New York coalition is basing its campaign on similar efforts by other US organizations. Some of them have successfully pressured big construction projects, such as an airport and a bus factory, into signing contracts to invest in schools, build affordable housing, conduct more environmental studies, or buy locally. Crucially, these agreements can be enforced through the courts.
Proponents of the agreements say making deals can help companies neutralize opposition and clear a smoother path for construction, hiring, and ongoing integration in the community. Provisions can include oversight panels and annual public reporting. A database compiled by Columbia Law School shows dozens of benefits agreements for major projects over the past decade.
“We have seen such agreements negotiated by companies with coalitions like ours across the country become win-wins, where the employers, workers and community organizations work together to ensure the needs of all parties are met,” the New York coalition wrote in the letter to Micron.
It added that a comprehensive deal will “further fulfill Micron’s commitments to being a good neighbor” and ensure good faith promises “translate into concrete, measurable benefits.”
Building more chips in the US is a national security priority, and the Micron project enjoys bipartisan support. But it comes at a time when massive fabs and data centers are receiving unprecedented public scrutiny, largely driven by their significant consumption of water and power.
Amid the pushback, some projects have already been abandoned or relocated. Organizers of the New York coalition believe the Micron campaign, if it leads to a deal, could be a template for winning concessions even as development moves forward. “This project can be done well,” Smith says. “Let’s get to the finish line together.”
Seeking Commitment
The coalition’s members include environmental advocates the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter and SustainCNY; racial justice groups Urban Jobs Task Force and the Syracuse chapter of NAACP; and labor organizations including Local 320 of the IUE-CWA, a union representing factory workers.
They zeroed in on Micron partly because of the public subsidies its project could end up receiving—up to $25 billion. The company’s promise of employing 9,000 people has buoyed support but some in the community remain concerned about the trade-offs. One point of aggravation has been that local authorities are displacing a 91-year-old great-grandmother from her home of 60 years to make way for Micron.
Tech
Top Shark Promo Codes for This January
Keeping my house clean can feel like an impossible task with a litter-kicking-happy cat and a two-year-old on a mission to throw everything, whether it’s Cheerios or pizza, onto the floor. One of the things that has made it easier, though, is my Shark handheld vacuum. The Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus is one of our favorite handheld vacuums, and it’s made it easy to clean up messes from both my cat and tiny human without needing to lug my old vacuum out for every mess. If you want a mess-free home for less, check our Shark coupon code.
Get 10% Off Your First Order With a Shark Promo Code
If you’re buying a Shark vacuum for the first time, you’re in luck: you can get 10 percent off right away by signing up for Shark’s emails. You’ll be prompted to put your email in, and will be emailed a unique code for you to use to get 10 percent off your order of a single item. That item doesn’t have to be a vacuum—feel free to snag your own Shark FlexStyle, an air purifier, or even a red light mask.
Get 15% Off $150+ With the Shark Student Discount
If you’re a student, you can get one of the best Shark discount codes regularly available: 15 percent off purchases over $150. In order to get it, you’ll need an account on UNiDAYS, then visit the Shark website through the UNiDAYS portal to get the student discount code.
Give $20, Get a $20 Shark Coupon Code With Referral
If you’ve already had your first order on Shark’s website, all is not lost. You can refer a friend to get them a $20 discount on orders over $100 on Shark’s website. You’ll score a $20 discount for yourself, too, once that referral code is validated, though you’ll need to spend $200 to use it.
Enjoy Frozen Treats for Less With the Shark Ninja Creami
We at WIRED love the Shark Ninja Creami; we called it “almost as good as having your own personal frozen yogurt shop.” (Read our full review here.) With a wide variety of recipes, simple use that’s easy enough for a 7-year-old to operate, and costing thousands less than commercial alternatives, it’s safe to say we are fans here. Check out Shark Ninja’s full catalogue of ice cream makers, including the Ninja CREAMi Scoop & Swirl, which turns virtually anything into soft serve; and the Ninja CREAMi 7-in-1 Ice Cream Maker, which allows you to make every sweet treat with ease at home, from gelato to sorbet to smoothie bowls. Plus, the Ninja CREAMi XL Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Maker, which allows you to make italian ice, frozen yogurt, and more. All of these viral makers are on sale right now, making it the perfect time to indulge in a sweet treat (for less).
Shop Responsibly (and Save) With Refurbished Shark Products
If you’re looking for an eco-conscious option, Shark has a refurbishment program where you can get a certified renewed vacuums, hair dryers, and stylers for a lower cost. It’s a great way to get a discount on Shark’s fantastic gadgets, with up to $100 off a refurbished product. There’s not always a refurbished product ready to buy, but you can sign up to get alerts for certain products, like the Shark FlexStyle system.
When to Save the Most With a Shark Promo Code
Wondering if there’s a best time to shop on Shark’s website? While some of the best times of year won’t be until the fall holiday season with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you can keep an eye out for great sales during summer holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day. Shark also has an end of season sale usually in July, plus a Shark Anniversary Sale in September.
More Shark Cleaning Tools We Love
Shark makes more than just handheld vacuum cleaners: they’ve got robot vacuums, steam cleaners, cordless vacuums, carpet cleaners, and so much more. And there’s several we love, from the Shark PowerDetect (8/10, WIRED Recommends) and the Shark Genius Steam Mop. Shark also makes fantastic hair tools like the Shark FlexStyle (9/10, WIRED Recommends). In the spirit of spring cleaning, there’s no better time to get a brand-new Shark vacuum, especially since you can snag a Shark promo code for 10 percent off and up to $100 off any Shark vacuum. There’s also student discounts and referral codes for more money off if you qualify. Here are all the Shark promo codes you can’t miss.
Tech
TCL Knocks $1,000 off One of Our Favorite Mid-Range TVs
If your team is still in the running, you may be in the market for a new TV to watch the big game, and TCL has you covered with a hefty discount on the TCL QM8K, one of our favorite mid-range screens. You can grab a 65″ QM8K for just $1,000, a healthy 60 percent discount, with lower percentage markdowns on the larger sizes.
One of the QM8K’s most striking features is the complete lack of bezels, giving your entertainment stand a modern and distinctive look. With the included pedestal mount, it almost looks like it’s floating, a neat trick for such a well-priced television. While there may be some personal preference when it comes to the interface, we generally feel that Google TV is one of the better options right now, and it supports both Chromecast and Airplay 2, so Apple folks won’t feel left out.
Of course, the screen itself is also excellent, with vivid colors that have an excellent pop, and a five thousand nit max brightness that’s extremely potent when turned all the way up. It’s even good for some light gaming, with a 144Hz refresh rate and dedicated gaming mode. With support for all the most popular HDR formats, including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision IQ, you’ll never wonder if you could be seeing brighter whites or darker black levels.
While several screen sizes are discounted, you’ll find the largest markdown on the 65″ model, with the price dropping from $2,500 to just $1,000 on Amazon, and Best Buy was honoring the deal but sold out already as I write this. If you’ve got room to spare, the larger models are discounted as well, with the 75″ version coming down to $1,500, a 50 percent discount from the usual price. If you have a particularly large living room, there’s a massive 98″ offering as well, and it’s currently $3,000, a big break from the typical $5,000 price tag.
We’re big fans of the TCL QM8K, but if you’d like to do a little more research first, make sure to swing by the roundup of our favorite TVs, which includes several TCL models, as well as even more premium offerings.
Tech
This Smart Lock Looks Just Like a Normal Lock
But this lock’s interior deadbolt manages to hold an impressive amount of technology. There’s a new dual-core chipset that has a ton of compatibility and unlocking options, including Matter and NFC tags, and the dual core means it can run Bluetooth and Matter on separate cores. It’s also compatible with Apple Home Key, along with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings. It’s quick and responsive when I use the app to unlock it, though my go-to unlocking method is usually the optional Level Keypad ($79) (the lock otherwise does not come with a keypad), which connects to the lock via Bluetooth. The lock responds instantly when I enter the code on the pad, which I have installed on my door frame.
ScreenshotLevel via Nena Farrell
ScreenshotLevel via Nena Farrell
The Level Lock Pro can also sense if the door is open or closed without needing any additional accessories. It uses a magnetometer to sense the closed door placement, and you’ll calibrate it once when you set it up. It’s worked well for me, though it did have a weird week where it claimed my door was open when it wasn’t. While the magnetometer is supposed to use the Earth’s gravity field, I was able to fix the open door issue by readjusting my strike plate on the doorjamb, which had gotten lose and ended up at a weird angle. (Installing and removing so many smart locks has left my doorjamb and its screw holes worse for wear, to say the least, so this isn’t normally an issue people should run into.)
The app is also easy to use and easy on the eyes. It’s a very pretty interface, with customizable wallpaper and immediate confirmation if your door is locked or unlocked. You’ll click the three dots in the corner for your device to see the Settings, Sharing, and Activity options, which you can click into to adjust the various settings, create different access codes, and see when your door was opened and by whom. It synced easily and immediately to my Amazon Alexa ecosystem, and I can ask Alexa if the door is locked and to lock it. Alexa can’t unlock it by default, but you can go into the Alexa app to toggle this on. I’ve opted not to; nobody needs to be able to voice-command my front door open.
Power Play
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Unlike other smart locks that use bulky battery packs or several AA batteries, the Level Lock Pro uses a single CR2 lithium battery. The lock comes with a nonrechargeable CR2 battery made by Level, but you can replace it with any CR2 battery once it runs out. It’s the same battery the brand has been using with its earlier locks, but the Lock Pro is designed to make better use of it so it lasts longer. Where the previous Lock+ had about six months of battery life, the Level Lock Pro is expected to get about a year of battery life from a single CR2 battery.
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