Every year, the international community spends billions of dollars on emergency relief — helping people who are suffering from famine and natural disasters. Now the aid organization CARE International is arguing that that money is being wasted. They say that money should be spent protecting people from the causes of poverty. That way, more can be done for the 220 million people living on what it calls 'the edge of emergency.'

Guest: Peter Biles, BBC correspondent

The lust that once lured prospectors to California is today drawing countless thousands to remote tropical rainforests on a quest for gold. It’s a valuable source of income in developing nations. But Smithsonian scientist William Laurance says the thirst for gold and other metals is fueled by both illegal and legal trade that carries heavy social, environmental and public health costs.

Agriculture is a $31-billion industry in California — no state is bigger for farming. But with California in a drought, state-enforced water rationing is forcing farmers to abandon fields and lay off workers. The Takeaway talks to the mayor of Mendota, California, where hundreds have been left hungry, and with Sacramento Bee reporter Matt Weiser about the difficult choices the state is facing.

Which U.S. state has the lowest life expectancy? Which congressional district has the highest high school dropout rate? The surprising answers to these questions can be found in “The Measure of America,” a new report that measures the American standard of living. Sarah Burd-Sharps explains how we’ve missed the fundamentals in the search of the American dream.