Five years ago, David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. “I was a clothes addict.” he jokes. “I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled.” Today David wears casual clothes—khaki pants and a sports shirt—to the office. He hardly ever wears a necktie. “I am working harder than ever.” David says, “and I need to feel comfortable.”

More and more companies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work. In the United States, the change from formal to casual office wear has been gradual. In the early 1990s, many companies allowed their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday (but only on Friday). This became known as “dress-down Friday” or “casual Friday”. “What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for employees has really become an everyday thing.” said business consultant Maisly Jones.

Why have so many companies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it’s easier for a company to attract new employees if it has a casual dress code.” “A lot of young people don’t want to dress up for work,” says the owner of a software company, “so it’s hard to hire people if you have a conservative(保守的)dress code.” Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing comfortable clothes. In a study conducted by Levi Strauss and Company, 85 percent of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale(心境，士气). Only 4 percent of employers said that casual dress has a negative influence on productivity. Supporters of casual office wear also argue that a casual dress code helps them save money. “Suits are expensive, if you have to wear one every day,” one person said. “For the same amount of money, you can buy a lot more casual clothes.”

Going cashless or not

After saving up your allowance, you finally have enough money to buy that toy, game, or piece of clothing you’ve been dreaming of. You go to the store and find the item. But when you get the register to pay, you see a sign: “Hello! We’ve gone cashless.”

Situations like this may become common if more stores and restaurants stop accepting cash as payment. Instead, customers must pay with a credit or debit card, or by smartphone app. Many business owners believe that getting rid of cash has helped them streamline(使效率更高) the way their business runs. Staff members don’t have to worry about having enough money in the register to make change or about delivering bills and coins to the bank.

But a growing number of people think that cashless stores are unfair. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, more than 8 million households in the United States don’t have bank accounts. Also, many people, including kids, don’t meet the requirements for a credit card. “A cash-less economy is not an inclusive(范围广泛的) economy,” Tazra Mitchell told National Public Radio. She’s a policy director at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. In her opinion, cashless stores are “essentially discriminating (歧视) against people”. Plus, people who do have debit and credit cards might prefer paying with cash. “Cash is still very popular with consumers,” Nick Bourke said. He’s a director at the Pew Charitable Trusts’ consumer finance project. “It’s used by almost eight in ten adults in the US every month. That’s more than any other payment type.”

Lawmakers in several places have taken steps to ban cashless stores. A handful of major cities, including New York City and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have already passed laws to address the issue. In San Francisco, California, a law banning cashless stores was passed in May. It says most stores in the city must allow customers to pay with cash. Derek Remski helped write the San Francisco law. He works for the city. “It’s really about fairness,” Remski said. “It’s about understanding that not everyone has equal access to things.”

In the Arctic Ocean waters live the social animals — belugas, which are also known as white whales. Highly intelligent, these whales use different sounds to communicate and find their way. Belugas are also among the smallest kinds of whales.

More than 210 belugas, including 31 in the United States, live in aquariums around the world. The Georgia aquariums has asked for permission to bring 18 more belugas into the US. The whales were caught off the coast of Russia. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is considering the aquarium’s request thoroughly. A law called the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) says the animals can only be brought into the country and put on display if they are caught without being hurt and there is an educational reason for doing so.

Georgia Aquarium officials say the 18 belugas will help people learn more about the species and allow scientists to better understand how to protect it. The aquarium would also breed the whales so the US aquariums can continue to display them. “When we can study and observe, we gain a better understanding of their biology and diseases that affect them, and learn how to aid populations in their natural habitats,” says William Hurley, Georgia Aquarium’s chief officer. “Much of this research would be impossible in the remote locations and extreme climate where the animals live.” The Georgia Aquarium would own the 18 belugas and would rent some to aquariums across the country.

Meanwhile, many scientists, including Lora Marino, a whale expert, feel strongly that the whales belong in the ocean, not in tanks. These scientists say the whales are being used for entertainment and not for education, and having them in aquariums is not necessary for the species to survive. Marino said, “Not only is it unfair to the belugas but there is no educational value in putting these whales on display.”