A Data Visualization Newsletter

Major blizzards may be blanketing the western United States in snow, but in other parts of the world, climate change is causing snowfall to dwindle. Ski resorts in France, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe are already feeling the effects. So what are these resorts to do? Many are relying on a combination of artificial snow, multi-access passes, and other tweaks to their business model to boost profits.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the West formed what looked like an overwhelming global coalition. 141 nations came together to demand that Russia unconditionally withdraw, threatening economic sanctions and other measures. Yet, one year on, some countries that initially denounced Russia’s actions have since moved towards a more neutral position.

Sociologists estimate that each American who dies of COVID-19 leaves behind about nine close relatives: siblings, children, a spouse, maybe a parent. New research suggests these people are more likely to suffer from prolonged grief disorder — a new disorder defined by the American Psychiatric Association in March 2022. Reuters explores the grieving process and what more acute grief might mean for our society.

This project from Ferdio shows the breadth of data viz options that a simple dataset can provide. Using just six data points, Ferdio designed 100 different charts — from a stacked bar chart to waffle chart to tree map — to represent the data. It’s a testament to the diversity of chart types available to designers, and to the importance of choosing a chart that effectively communicates your story.

Forty years ago, about 3.3% of the American workforce was on vacation in any given week according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). As of December 2022, that number is down to 1.7%. Additional analysis shows that this dropoff is driven primarily by the fact that Americans are taking much fewer week-long vacations. The Washington Post investigates why that might be.