Day-after-day the Good Good Good workforce collects the most effective excellent news on this planet and shares it with our neighborhood. Listed below are the highlights for this week!
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The Finest Optimistic Information We’re Celebrating This Week —
In an anti-trafficking landmark, practically 1,000 endangered animals have been repatriated to Madagascar
The most important repatriation between Thailand and Madagascar is now underway, with Thai officers sending practically 1,000 extremely endangered tortoises and lemurs dwelling to Madagascar.
It’s a part of a landmark victory in opposition to animal trafficking, by which Thai police recovered 1,117 animals throughout an anti-trafficking operation earlier this yr.
Among the many animals recovered have been spider tortoises and ring-tailed lemurs, that are all listed among the many world’s “most endangered” animals.
Why is that this excellent news? These animals are extremely sought-after in Asia as unique pets, however replicating their habitats is troublesome, and places their lives in danger. A few of them died resulting from an absence of meals and water once they have been first smuggled, so it’s excellent information that the majority of them will likely be returned to their dwelling habitats to thrive once more.
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The variety of individuals volunteering within the U.S. is rising once more, particularly in states like Colorado
Whereas volunteering charges noticed a dip at the beginning of the pandemic, a biennial AmeriCorps report discovered that each organized volunteering and casual serving to are rising.
General, 28.3% of individuals within the U.S. say they volunteered at the very least as soon as within the final yr, which is up 5 proportion factors from 2021.
Some states noticed larger will increase, too. In Colorado, 34.7% of individuals reported volunteering by way of a proper group at the very least as soon as — an 8.5-point improve between 2021 and 2023.
Whereas that charge continues to be decrease than the 2019 charge of 42.2%, it’s actually good progress to have fun — and a development in the best path.
Enhancing entry to take care of low-income sufferers, a telehealth abortion service simply turned the primary to just accept Medicaid
Hey Jane, a United States-based digital clinic that gives reproductive and sexual healthcare — together with abortion care — introduced as we speak that it’s now accepting Illinois Medicaid for remedy abortion companies.
Nationally, 45% of abortion sufferers are enrolled in Medicaid, with Illinois Medicaid overlaying over 3.4 million residents, a lot of whom face limitations to well being care.
Final yr, Hey Jane additionally turned the primary clinic to just accept personal insurance coverage for telemedicine abortion care. And now, it’s working to increase this entry in much more states.
Why is that this excellent news? As excessive restrictions to accessing life-saving reproductive well being care take impact in additional states across the nation, “sanctuary states” for reproductive well being care like Illinois have skilled strains on their system.
Hey Jane affords a substitute for in-person clinics, and this expanded entry will assist individuals no matter earnings stage get the care they want.
Jane Fonda (and analysis) says one life-style change might help you reside 7.5 years longer — greater than quitting smoking or exercising extra
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The primary of the “massive 4” to take action, London Vogue Week introduced it’s going to ban unique animal skins from exhibits
Formally the most important trade occasion to take action, London Vogue Week will formally be unique animal skin-free.
Beginning with its subsequent occasion in 2025, all its collaborating designers should get rid of skins from animals like crocodiles, alligators, and snakes from their collections.
This follows the occasion’s ban on fur, which was formally enforced beginning in December 2023. London is following within the footsteps of smaller influential occasions like Melbourne Vogue Week and Copenhagen Vogue Week.
Why is that this excellent news? Whereas there’s nonetheless some work to do to make these occasions fully wildlife-free, animal rights campaigners agreed it’s “essential progress” and that it sends an “essential message all through the worldwide trend trade that exploiting animals for his or her skins is each unethical and pointless.”
There was an over 60% lower in cervical most cancers deaths amongst U.S. girls from 2016-2021
The primary vaccine for human papillomavirus, or HPV was launched in 2006. Now, a brand new examine exhibits a steep decline in cervical most cancers deaths among the many group of ladies first eligible for the vaccine within the U.S.
Researchers seemed on the variety of cervical most cancers deaths from 1992 to 2021. They discovered that the variety of deaths amongst girls underneath 25 years previous resulting from cervical most cancers declined steadily by about 4% from 1992 to 2015.
Then, issues modified dramatically. From 2016 to 2021, mortality charges dropped by simply over 60% — from about 0.02 deaths per 100,000 individuals between 2010 and 2015 to about 0.007 deaths per 100,000 individuals.
Consultants are hopeful this information is a sign of much more good progress to come back if HPV vaccination charges enhance.
Throughout a 14-week utilized science program for underrepresented college students, a center schooler discovered a cancer-fighting compound in goose poop
The World Wildlife Fund simply launched a decade-long report on the Congo Basin, revealing the invention of 742 new species
Reminding us all simply how a lot of the world is but to be explored, a brand new examine from the World Wildlife Fund breaks down the discoveries of 742 new species within the Congo Basin, the second-largest rainforest and river basin on this planet.
Assembled from information collected from 2013 to 2023 the report catalogs the existence of latest vegetation, spiders, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
The researchers found one new mammal species a yr on common, together with a brand new monkey species, three mice, and two bats. Additionally they recorded 25 new snakes, 101 fish, 121 bugs, and extra.
An essential notice: Though many of those “new species” have been unfamiliar to researchers, and beforehand unrecorded in taxonomy information, they have been identified by Indigenous communities within the basin — like a blue-bottomed monkey species with a “booming” name is thought by natives of the Lomami Basin because the “lesula.”
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Greater than three-quarters of UK universities have joined the pledge to divest from fossil fuels
Following years of activism from college students and employees, greater than three-quarters of universities within the UK have now publicly dedicated to divesting from fossil fuels.
The 115 out of 149 universities pledging to exclude fossil gasoline corporations from their funding portfolios characterize £17.7 billion price of endowments that may now be inaccessible to the polluting trade.
One activist stated this sort of progress would have been “unthinkable” even a decade in the past, and it’s due to “the generations of scholars and employees which have fought for justice in solidarity with impacted communities.”
Whereas we nonetheless have to see these sorts of commitments at extra universities world wide, this sort of progress solely makes divestment extra interesting for others to take action, too.
With hundreds of thousands turning out to assist, the variety of Giving Tuesday volunteers elevated by 4% in 2024
The outcomes are in: This yr, $3.6 billion complete was donated on Giving Tuesday, a rise of 16% from final yr, with 36.1 million individuals in complete collaborating — both by giving cash or donating items.
Simply as notably, 9.2 million individuals donated their time by way of volunteering, a 4% improve from final yr. One supplier of company social accountability options reported a 17% improve in volunteering on its platform from 637 collaborating corporations.
This evens out to about 260,000 volunteer hours logged by greater than 21,000 people from these corporations, exhibiting that Giving Tuesday goes past employee-matched donations, too.
Why is that this excellent news? When individuals present as much as gather trash of their communities, serve meals at a meals financial institution, or lead read-alongs at their native libraries, they decide to bettering the setting and social panorama of the locations by which they dwell — which is very essential proper now.
Noah Kahan celebrated Small Enterprise Saturday at a espresso store staffed by employees with disabilities
Bitty & Beau’s calls itself “a human rights motion disguised as a espresso store.” At its 20 places throughout the nation, it employs individuals with mental and developmental disabilities and has an extremely inspiring backstory.
Forward of a Small Enterprise Saturday live performance in Charleston, South Carolina, folks singer Noah Kahan paid a go to to the native enterprise to “gasoline up” earlier than his present.
“Good to satisfy you,” Kahan stated, giving a hug to the well-known Bitty as he walked into the store. “Thanks for having me in to your spot!”
He went on to greet each worker, having realized their names forward of time, ordered a seasonal frappuccino, posed for photographs, and frolicked after chatting with employees.
Extra excellent news of the week —
An “thrilling” new therapy for lupus might finish the necessity for lifelong remedy. With signs together with joint ache and main organ irritation, lupus sufferers with gentle or extreme instances typically must take medicine their complete lives, starting from ibuprofen to steroid tablets and injections.
A drugmaker introduced its twice-yearly shot that forestalls HIV infections will likely be obtainable in 120 poor international locations. The closest the world has ever come to a vaccine in opposition to AIDS, Gilead introduced it’s going to enable low-cost, generic variations to be offered in international locations with excessive HIV charges, serving to enhance entry the place it’s most wanted.
Libraries throughout the U.S. are providing free well being and wellness courses. Serving to present better entry to well being info for communities, they provide health and cooking courses, conversations about loneliness and psychological well being, and blood stress screens that may be checked out like books.
Giving hope to extra terminal mind most cancers sufferers, a UK man’s lethal mind tumor shrank in half after a brand new therapy. Scientists are trialing new research into the aggressive mind most cancers glioblastoma, which usually kills sufferers inside 18 months.
Researchers used Fitbit information to precisely predict temper episodes related to bipolar dysfunction. The brand new machine studying algorithm’s predictions open the door to additional analysis into utilizing a customized algorithm to drive therapy of the life-impacting situation.
Below a brand new rule, individuals with HIV who want a kidney or liver transplant will have the ability to obtain an organ from a donor with HIV. The rule change is anticipated to shorten the wait time for organs for all, as earlier than such transplants might solely be finished as a part of analysis.
A Taylor Swift commemorative road signal public sale raised greater than $200,000 for a Toronto meals financial institution. Followers bid greater than $100,000 and the venue that hosted Swift’s six Eras Tour dates donated $113,000 to double their impression.
Alex Consani made historical past as the primary overtly transgender individual to win Mannequin of the 12 months. With a large, devoted social media following, Consani has walked the runway for manufacturers together with Chanel, Diesel, and Stella McCartney.
Researchers discovered the primary new therapy for bronchial asthma assaults in additional than 50 years. Their findings stem from the belief that not all bronchial asthma or COPD assaults are the identical, however completely different elements of the immune system are overreacting in several sufferers.
A brand new Roblox sport donates a real-life meal to somebody in want for each served in a “digital neighborhood kitchen.” This vacation season, one in 5 youngsters within the U.S. will face starvation, and practically half of all youngsters play Roblox every single day — these overlapping statistics introduced a chance to do good.
A brand new examine exhibits that cancer-sniffing canine and synthetic intelligence efficiently detected illness with a easy breath check. The most important scientific trial thus far for most cancers detection utilizing each AI and skilled canines, the check demonstrated outstanding accuracy, with as much as 97% sensitivity for sure cancers.
Because of a “outstanding” rewilding challenge, Scotland’s bumblebee inhabitants grew by 116 instances what it was two years in the past. A 90-acre challenge has been working to revive nature to inexperienced areas in an more and more built-up space, and bumblebee populations surged from simply 35 counted in 2021 to greater than 4,000 in 2023.
Spain launched paid local weather go away for individuals impacted by lethal flooding within the nation. The go away will give employees as much as 4 days off in order that they don’t must journey throughout local weather occasions just like the latest flooding disaster in October that killed at the very least 224 individuals.
Sierra Leone simply started a nationwide rollout of the Ebola vaccine a decade after it noticed a lethal outbreak. The 2014 Ebola outbreak was the deadliest in historical past and practically 4,000 deaths out of the greater than 11,000 recorded globally have been in Sierra Leone, which misplaced 7% of its healthcare workforce to the outbreak.
A once-endangered species goes to roam free at a California nationwide park. Native to the state, the tule elk neared extinction resulting from searching and habitat loss within the 1800s from European settlement, and the herd that was reintroduced 50 years in the past has been restricted by a fence that may quickly be eliminated.
