Why we're short on blood, water and helium

Summary

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The Indicator from Planet Money

Episode Summary: "Why we're short on blood, water and helium"

Air date: August 4, 2026
Hosts: Adrienne Ma, Ricky Mulvey, Waylon Wong

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Episode Overview

In this episode, hosts Adrienne Ma, Ricky Mulvey, and Waylon Wong spotlight three critical resource shortages—blood, helium, and water—affecting the U.S. and, in some cases, the world. The team explains the unique causes behind each shortage, why it matters, and what is (or could be) done to address them. The episode is an exploration of how climate, geopolitics, and policy intersect with resources often taken for granted.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Blood Shortage Crisis

Segment starts: 01:46

• Context:

  • American Red Cross has declared a national blood supply crisis, the second time ever (first was during the pandemic).

• Causes:

  • Both increased demand and decreased supply.
  • Summer leads to more injuries (higher demand).
  • Fewer donations in summer, especially from younger people who usually donate at school blood drives.
  • Environmental factors like extreme heat, poor air quality, and foodborne illnesses are keeping potential donors at home. (02:04–02:38)

  "These are all kind of keeping people at home..."
  — Adrienne Ma (02:38)

  "Thinking about extreme heat and poor air quality, that's climate related. And now you think about the knock-on effects from climate change and it's affecting the blood supply and I think that's pretty scary sounding."
  — Waylon Wong (02:38)

• Impacts:

  • Red Cross is restricting distribution of O positive blood, which is unsustainable.
  • No substitute for real blood—“the quiet backbone to modern medicine.”
  • 1 in 7 hospital patients need transfusions (03:11).

  "Without it, a lot of the care that we take for granted at a hospital is just not possible. So if more folks don't come out and give...doctors will really face very difficult choices..."
  — Jessica Merrill, Red Cross Communications Director (03:26)

• Actionable Solution:

  • Any blood donation helps. It's a crisis regular people can directly address (04:00).
  • Waylon shares a personal story of needing a transfusion and encourages others to give if they can.

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2. Helium Shortage

Segment starts: 04:26

• Context:

  • The world has faced a persistent helium shortage for years.
  • Helium cannot be manufactured; it’s extracted from natural gas.

• Industrial & Medical Importance:

  • Critical for MRI machines, nuclear reactor cooling, semiconductor manufacturing—not just party balloons.
  • AI boom has increased demand.

• Supply Chain Vulnerability:

  • Qatar produced 35% of the world’s helium in 2024. Iranian drone and missile strikes have knocked out facilities there (05:31–05:57).

  “They've knocked out like a third of the helium supply.”
  — Adrienne Ma (05:54)

  • Shipping relies on the increasingly unstable Strait of Hormuz.

• U.S. Helium Reserve:

  • The U.S. privatized its helium stockpile in the 1990s; no strategic reserve remains.
  • Current suppliers prioritize medical and tech clients over less vital uses (like balloons).

  “Suppliers are giving priority for medical needs and semiconductor manufacturers. And that's why it might be harder to get your party balloons filled...”
  — Waylon Wong (06:09)

  “Knowing that helium is needed for MRIs and nuclear reactors kind of makes the party balloons seem like a lower priority.”
  — Adrienne Ma (06:41)

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3. Water Scarcity in the U.S. West

Segment starts: 07:01

• Background:

  • Much of the Western U.S. depends on a 100-year-old Colorado River water agreement dividing water among seven states.

• Crisis Evolution:

  • For decades, states overdrew water, buffered by large reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell.
  • Persistent drought, shrinking snowpack, and overuse have left these reservoirs at historic lows.

• Expert Perspective:

  • Jack Schmidt (Utah State) compares reservoirs to a savings account that’s been emptied (07:49).

  "It's as if we had a bank account, and our bank account was flush with money."
  — Jack Schmidt (07:49)

  “We said to ourselves, oh, we've had low income, but I'm not going to reduce my spending because my bank account is flush.”
  — Jack Schmidt (08:09)

• Federal Intervention:

  • The federal government now demands big water cuts from California, Arizona, and Nevada.

• State Response & Conflict:

  • States resist making cuts themselves; negotiations are tense.
  • California says the cuts are a milestone but is still negotiating, while Arizona and Nevada warn of devastating impacts (08:44).

• Urban Adaptations:

  • Cities like LA, Denver, and Las Vegas have reduced total water use despite population growth.

  "Some small steps. In Denver, for example, you have to request a glass of water at restaurants. But think watering your lawn less often or getting rid of a lawn altogether."
  — Ricky Mulvey (09:13)

• The Real Water Hog:

  • Agriculture uses up to 70% of Colorado River water; 55% just for alfalfa and grass (livestock feed) (09:34).

  "In fact, 55% of all the water used in the entire basin is just used to grow alfalfa and grass as livestock feed."
  — Jack Schmidt (09:34)

• Broader Issues:

  • Warmer temperatures, decreasing water, and ongoing debates about balancing equity and equality define the current crisis.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Blood Shortage:

  "Blood is really what we would say is a quiet backbone to modern medicine."
  — Jessica Merrill, Red Cross (03:26)

• On Helium Priorities:

  "I guess knowing that helium is needed for MRIs and nuclear reactors kind of makes the party balloons seem like a lower priority."
  — Adrienne Ma (06:41)

• On Water Use:

  "In fact, 55% of all the water used in the entire basin is just used to grow alfalfa and grass as livestock feed."
  — Jack Schmidt (09:34)

• On Scarcity:

  "Warmer temperatures, less water, and a debate about equity versus equality. Those are the elements of my running out economic problem: Water."
  — Ricky Mulvey (09:48)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Blood shortage: 01:46–04:26
• Helium shortage: 04:26–06:57
• Water scarcity: 07:01–09:48

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Conclusion

The episode succinctly breaks down three pressing shortages—blood, helium, and water—emphasizing the role of climate, geopolitics, and policy decisions. Each segment offers both a sobering view of the challenge and a dose of hope or personal agency, encouraging listeners to take practical action (like donating blood) or better understand the tradeoffs in resource management.

If you spot other shortages in your area, the team invites listeners to email [e-mail] (09:59).

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Transcript

[Unknown Expert]

Npr.

[Adrienne Ma]

This is the Indicator from Planet Money. I'm Adrienne Ma.

[Ricky Mulvey]

I'm Ricky Mulvey.

[Waylon Wong]

And I'm Waylon Wong. Shortages are in the news again and today we're not going to talk about oil or computer chips.

[Adrienne Ma]

That's right. There's a lot of other resources to freak out about.

[Waylon Wong]

Oh no.

[Adrienne Ma]

Today we are talking about shortages for helium, water and even blood. All these supplies are running concerningly low right now. And today on the show we're going to run down why and what, if anything, can be done about it.

[Ricky Mulvey]

All that after the break.

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[Adrienne Ma]

SIPC okay, so the shortage that I'm going to talk about is for blood. The American Red Cross has declared a national blood supply crisis and they say this is only the second time ever that they have done this. The first time was during the pandemic.

[Ricky Mulvey]

Is this less supply, more demand?

[Adrienne Ma]

It's kind of both, right? The summer season turns out to be a time where a lot of people are getting hurt because they're out and about and that is putting a strain on demand. But it is also a supply problem. There aren't as many people donating and that's partly because also during the summer, younger people are not in school, which is where they typically give blood. And this year around this time, there are also environmental factors playing a role, like extreme heat, poor air quality, even foodborne illness, which we talked about. These are all kind of keeping people

[Waylon Wong]

at home, honestly, like thinking about extreme heat and poor air quality, that's climate related. And now you think about the knock on effects from climate change and it's affecting the blood supply and I think that's pretty scary sounding.

[Adrienne Ma]

So we called up the Red Cross and spoke with their communications director, Jessica Merrill. And she says in response to this, they've been restricting their distributions of the most commonly transfused type of blood, which is O positive. But this is obviously not a sustainable solution. And she says there's just no good substitute for blood.

[Unknown Expert]

I think one of the most important things for folks to realize is that one in seven patients entering a hospital will need a blood transfus.

[Adrienne Ma]

It might be for a trauma patient or someone getting a heart surgery or a mom experiencing birth complications.

[Unknown Expert]

So blood is really what we would say is a quiet backbone to modern medicine. And without it, a lot of the care that we take for granted at a hospital is just not possible. So if more folks don't come out and give in the days and weeks ahead, doctors will really face very difficult choices about who receives blood and who has to wait.

[Adrienne Ma]

The good news is that this is actually one of those shortages that you and I can do something about any kind of blood, whether it's type A, B or O, it all helps strengthen the blood supply.

[Waylon Wong]

When I heard about this story, I was like, oh, I should go and give blood. And then I remembered that I have, like, no hemoglobin. I have this, like, condition that's like, related to anemia.

[Adrienne Ma]

Oh, you gotta hold onto that hemoglobin for yourself.

[Waylon Wong]

And so, and I remember that, like, I myself needed a blood transfusion when I was pregnant because they're like, gosh, you have no hemoglobin. And so I'm like, okay, someone else will have to give blood because no one wants my blood.

[Adrienne Ma]

Do you want to seize the conch shell?

[Waylon Wong]

Yes, I would. I'm going to talk about helium. This is an element that the world has actually been running short of for many years now. And helium, I learned, has many unique characteristics. It can stay liquid at ultra cold temperatures, which is kind of cool. And it cannot be manufactured. We get helium by extracting it from natural G. And it's very, very important in the medical and scientific fields.

[Adrienne Ma]

So it's not just for party balloons and making your voice sound funny.

[Waylon Wong]

No. And that probably is a lot of people's first association with helium is party balloons. But helium is actually needed to operate MRI machines and cool nuclear reactors. And it's also needed to manufacture semiconductors.

[Ricky Mulvey]

Hmm. So given the AI boom, I'm guessing demand for helium is pretty high right now.

[Waylon Wong]

It is very high. And that is putting the squeeze on supply. And then there's another big Reason? We're running short of helium. Qatar is one of only a handful of countries that even supply helium.

[Adrienne Ma]

Okay, so you're basically saying it's the usual suspects for dwindling supply. We got AI on the demand side and the war with Iran on the supply side.

[Waylon Wong]

Right. So the U.S. geological Survey says Qatar accounted for 35% of global helium production in 2024. And Iranian drone missile strikes have knocked out that supply.

[Adrienne Ma]

They've knocked out like a third of the helium supply.

[Waylon Wong]

Uh huh. And even if Qatar's facilities were up and running, it would still have to ship helium through the Strait of Hormuz. And we know that barely anything is getting through the strait these days.

[Ricky Mulvey]

So can the US make up the shortfall?

[Waylon Wong]

Certainly not all of it. The US actually used to have an underground helium reserve, which is kind of cool. But the government decided to privatize the stockpile back in the 90s under President Bill Clinton. So the supplies were sold off to industrial gas. Gas companies. And given how little helium there is to go around right now, suppliers are giving priority for medical needs and semiconductor manufacturers. And that's why it might be harder to get your party balloons filled. I know I've seen signs at my local dollar store that say that can't sell balloons right now.

[Adrienne Ma]

I mean, I guess knowing that helium is needed for like MRIs and nuclear reactors kind of makes the party balloons seem like a. Like a lower priority.

[Waylon Wong]

Yeah, I think we can do without. We just have to remember how to sacrifice.

[Adrienne Ma]

Okay. For the final stop on our parade of scarcity, Ricky Mulvey.

[Ricky Mulvey]

Yes. For this joy filled episode, my resource that we're running out of is water.

[Adrienne Ma]

I feel like we need that.

[Ricky Mulvey]

Something that is pretty necessary. As we've talked about before, many parts of the Western US are essentially desert, or at least semi arid. They survive because of a Colorado river agreement from over a century ago.

[Waylon Wong]

Right. We've covered this on the show. This agreement, like divvied up water between seven states that go from Colorado to California.

[Ricky Mulvey]

Yeah. And there wasn't a crisis for a time. Sure, Western states started using more water than was coming in naturally. But two main reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, they had plenty to share. Jack Schmidt is the director of the center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State.

[Jack Schmidt]

It's as if we had a bank account, and our bank account was flush with money.

[Ricky Mulvey]

Today, though, many parts of the region are facing a serious drought. The western states get a lot of their water from melting snowpack. And for decades, that snowpack has been on the decline. And yet growth and overconsumption continued.

[Jack Schmidt]

We said to ourselves, oh, we've had low income, but I'm not going to reduce my spending because my bank account is flush.

[Ricky Mulvey]

Now Lake Powell and Lake Mead are at historically low levels. This is a big deal. Water from these reservoirs is used for drinking agriculture and electricity. Now the federal government is stepping in and asked California, Arizona and Nevada to make big cuts to their water use.

[Waylon Wong]

I guess we know from history states love being told what to do by the federal government, especially when it comes to resources like this.

[Ricky Mulvey]

Yeah, the states would like the other states to make those cuts. California, though, sees these cuts as a milestone, but says negotiations are ongoing. Meanwhile, Arizona and Nevada are saying the cuts will be devastating for their states. One bright side though, is that people in urban and suburban areas have gotten better at water conservation. Large cities like la, Denver and Las Vegas have reduced total water use despite growing populations.

[Adrienne Ma]

Oh, that's interesting. Okay, so like, what are they doing?

[Ricky Mulvey]

Some small steps. In Denver, for example, you have to request a glass of water at restaurants. But think watering your lawn less often or getting rid of a lawn altogether. But in order to get the system into balance, you have to address the cow in the room. Jack says that 70% of the water used in the basin is for agriculture.

[Jack Schmidt]

In fact, 55% of all the water used in the entire basin is just used to grow alfalfa and grass a as livestock feed.

[Ricky Mulvey]

Warmer temperatures, less water, and a debate about equity versus equality. Those are the elements of my running out economic problem Water.

[Waylon Wong]

All right, these are three crucial shortages that we are keeping an eye on. If you spot something where you are that you see we should be keeping an eye on, Please email us indicatorpr.org

[Adrienne Ma]

this episode was produced by Corey Bridges with engineering by Jimmy Keeley. It was fact checked by Sara Juarez. Kagan Cannon is our editor and the Indicators of production of NPR.

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