The Economics of Everyday Things

Freakonomics Network & Zachary Crockett

Who decides which snacks are in your office’s vending machine? How much is a suburban elm tree worth, and to whom? How did Girl Scout Cookies become a billion-dollar business? In bite-sized episodes, journalist Zachary Crockett looks at quotidian things and finds amazing stories. To get every show in our network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts at http://apple.co/SiriusXM. read less

Our Editor's Take

The Economics of Everyday Things explores the hidden costs of often overlooked matters. The podcast investigates mundane services, concepts, and objects from a new perspective. A fascinating system of politics, competition, and chaos often influences costs. The show strives to expose those systems and bring clarity to the finance of everyday life.

Each episode of The Economics of Everyday Things is a short documentary about one topic. It can be anything from bowling alleys to a song that was popular decades ago. Host Zachary Crockett wishes to examine the financial viability of each subject. He traces its history and interviews experts and people who benefit from it.

For instance, there's one podcast episode where Crockett studies used hotel soaps. He wants to figure out what happens to that hygiene product after the guest leaves. To do that, Crockett first learns when soap became a free perk in hotels. Then, he speaks to someone who found a way to recycle it and hears about the mechanisms that make that possible. With all that information, Crockett sets out to uncover where the new bars of soap go and how much money gets made or saved in the process.

The Economics of Everyday Things offers digestible episodes that are entertaining and informative. They uncover the mystery behind the hows and whys of modern life. There are no biases or opinions in this podcast, only facts. Crockett does an incredible job of researching every topic and bringing multiple perspectives. Thanks to his experience with writing about business and tech, he constructs a compelling narrative. He makes sure to leave his views out of the reporting. Instead, he allows listeners to come to their own conclusions.

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Episodios

Truffles (Replay)
02-09-2024
Truffles (Replay)
It takes fungi-sniffing dogs, back-room deals, and a guy named “The Kingpin” for the world’s most coveted morsel to end up on your plate. Zachary Crockett picks up the scent. SOURCES:Jason McKinney, co-founder and C.E.O. of Truffle Shuffle.Besart Morina, truffle dealer. RESOURCES:"Dogs Pay the Price in Italian Truffle War," by Margherita Stancati (The Wall Street Journal, 2022)."How Truffles Took Root Around the World," by Federico Kukso (Smithsonian Magazine, 2022)."Has the American-Grown Truffle Finally Broken Through?" by Rowan Jacobsen (Smithsonian Magazine, 2021)."Sonoma County Farm Strikes Black Truffle Gold After 9 Years of Waiting," by Jenn Harris (Los Angeles Times, 2021)."In Nicolas Cage’s ‘Pig,’ How Much Is the Truffle Hog Worth Anyway?" by Victoria Petersen (The New York Times, 2021)."Predicted Climate Change Will Increase the Truffle Cultivation Potential in Central Europe," by Tomáš Čejka, Miroslav Trnka, Paul J. Krusic, Ulrich Stobbe, Daniel Oliach, Tomáš Václavík, Willy Tegel, and Ulf Büntgen (Nature Scientific Reports, 2020)."Inside the Exceptionally Shady World of Truffle Fraud," by Ryan Jacobs (Eater, 2019)."Truffle Thieves Face Paramilitary Threat," by Kim Willsher (The Guardian, 2012)."The Hidden Life of Truffles," by James M. Trappe and Andrew W. Claridge (Scientific American, 2010)."Cultivation of Black Truffle to Promote Reforestation and Land-Usestability," by José Antonio Bonet, Christine R. Fischer, and Carlos Colinas (Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 2006).
56. Snake Venom
15-07-2024
56. Snake Venom
Why does treating a venomous snake bite cost as much as a house? Zachary Crockett slithers over to North Carolina to find out. SOURCES:Steve Anderson, emergency medicine business unit leader at BTG Pharmaceuticals.Nick Brandehoff, professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado and executive director of the Asclepius Snakebite Foundation.Sean Bush, emergency physician and president of the North American Society of Toxinology.Nitin Deshpande, business consultant with Premium Serums & Vaccines.Jack Facente, owner-operator of AGRITOXINS Venom Production Laboratory. RESOURCES:"This New Antivenom Defangs the Toxins of Cobras, Black Mambas and More," by Cassandra Willyard (Scientific American, 2024)."Perspectives on Snakebite Envenoming Care Needs Across Different Sociocultural Contexts and Health Systems: A Comparative Qualitative Analysis Among U.S. and Brazilian Health Providers," by Eleanor Strand, Felipe Murta, Anna Tupetz, Charles J. Gerardo, et al. (Toxicon: X, 2023)."Access to Antivenoms in the Developing World: A Multidisciplinary Analysis," by Julien Potet, David Beran, David J. Williams, et al. (Toxicon: X, 2021)."The Lab Saving the World From Snake Bites," by Myles Karp (Smithsonian Magazine, 2020)."Why Competition Hasn't Brought Down The High Price Of Snakebite Treatment," by Carmen Heredia Rodriguez (NPR, 2019)."Summer Bummer: A Young Camper’s $142,938 Snakebite," by Carmen Heredia Rodriguez (KFF Health News, 2019)."The Amazing Science Behind Fatal Snake Bites," (BBC News, 2015)."Southern Californians See a Rise in Venomous Snakes," by Rebecca Fairley Raney (The New York Times, 2006).Venom Week. EXTRAS:Venom Hunters, TV series (2016).