*By Michael Teich*
Want to use crypto to buy deodorant online, don't sweat it.
Schmidt's Naturals is giving consumers the option to use Bitcoin for online purchases on its [website](https://schmidtsnaturals.com/).
Schmidt's is the only Unilever brand to accept cryptocurrency as a method of payment. Unilever said it acquired the deodorant brand in 2017 to extend its reach to "new customers who prefer natural options."
A stick of Schmidts Naturals in scents like bergamot and lime, cedar wood and juniper, and lavender and sage cost about $9, or 0.0011 Bitcoin.
Michael Cammarata, a co-founder and the chief executive of Schmidt's Naturals, told Cheddar that consumers who are interested in natural products are some of the same people who are into Bitcoin.
Cammarata said his company listens to customers' demands, “whether it’s a scent or a payment method."
The new Bitcoin payment option has shown promise, Cammarata said. Between 5 and 10 percent of direct sales on Schmidt's online platform were made in Bitcoin since it began accepting the cryptocurrency on May 14.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/consumers-can-use-bitcoin-to-pay-for-this-deodorant).
Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama are set to begin voting to unionize for a second time after workers at the facility in the town of Bessemer overwhelmingly voted against forming a union during an election early last year; but in November, the National Labor Relations Board overturned the vote, upholding a union challenge of the results which argued that Amazon undermined the conditions for a fair election. Another round of ballots will now be mailed out to works at the warehouse for a so-called re-run election. Director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University John Logan and National Field Director for Our Revolution Mike Oles joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
February 8 is Safer Internet Day, and Google has partnered with online education organization Khan Academy to release a courseload focused on internet safety. The partnership includes a $5 million donation towards content development from Google, with modules to be made available in various languages throughout 2022. Founder of Khan Academy, Sal Khan, joined Cheddar News to discuss the partnership. "We need to get to a world where everyone of all ages has a chance to learn and practice and feel good that they can navigate the internet in a safe way,” said Khan.
Big tech companies such as Amazon and Google are garnering criticism for failing at their proposed climate pledges, most of which rely on carbon offsets — a potential loophole where companies pay others to address their omissions. Gilles Dufrasne, policy officer at Carbon Market Watch, joined Cheddar News to explain the organization's negative evaluation. "The objective here is not to bash companies and say everybody is doing the wrong thing," he said. "The objective is to also provide lessons, and there are some companies that are doing the right thing."
U.S. markets opened lower as disappointing Meta earnings dragged down the tech-heavy Nasdaq. Today, investors will be watching for Amazon's Q4 earnings report set for release after the market close. Greg Swenson, Founding Partner, Brigg Macadam joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Markets opened mostly higher led by gains in the tech sector on strong Q4 earnings. It comes after a tumultuous January which saw stocks suffer one of their worst months since the early days of the pandemic. Jim Worden, Chief Investment Officer, Wealth Consulting Group joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss early market activity.
