On daily basis the Good Good Good staff collects the very best excellent news on this planet and shares it with our group. Listed below are the highlights for this week!
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The Finest Optimistic Information We’re Celebrating This Week —
In a historic milestone for the UK, renewable power era will overtake fossil fuels for the primary time
Low-carbon renewable power sources are on monitor to generate 37% of electrical energy within the U.Okay. in 2024 — the primary time in historical past that wind, photo voltaic, and hydropower collectively will overtake fossil fuels, that are set to generate 35%.
This milestone is critical, on condition that in 2021 fossil fuels generated 45% of electrical energy, and renewables solely 27% — a ten% shift in only a few years due to the fast rise of wind and photo voltaic within the UK.
Wind energy can also be set to make historical past by itself because it closes in on overtaking gasoline energy as the most important supply of electrical energy in 2024 — wind is forecast at 29% and gasoline at 30%. However “a gentle, windy December” may push it over.
Why is that this excellent news? The UK retains making exceptional progress towards reaching its aim of a completely “clear” power grid by 2030 — earlier this yr it closed its closing coal energy plant, and with this progress, units its sights on doing the identical for gasoline. These milestones are precisely what local weather consultants say we have to obtain to have the absolute best local weather outcomes.
The biggest recorded discount in U.S. historical past, overdose deaths fell 17% up to now yr
From July 2023 to July 2024, the variety of overdose deaths within the U.S. fell 16.9%. That marks the most important discount in recorded overdose deaths in U.S. historical past.
Officers level to intensive efforts, investments, and insurance policies put in place which have contributed to this important decline — together with making the drug overdose remedy naloxone extra extensively out there. The FDA just lately made it out there over-the-counter.
Moreover, extra medical suppliers are actually capable of prescribe drugs for opioid use dysfunction, and the U.S. has invested extra in stopping the stream of fentanyl by reducing manufacturing and trafficking off, and stopping the manufacturing of precursor chemical substances.
Whereas there may be nonetheless extra to do to handle overdose deaths, these focused investments seem to have made an unimaginable, historic distinction to date.
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Volunteers in Finland are constructing large snow piles to assist endangered Saimaa ringed seals elevate their younger
As soon as widespread throughout Finland, the Saimaa ringed seal’s numbers and habitat are dwindling, with fewer than 495 remaining.
The seals make “snow caves” inside snow drifts to lift their younger and shield them from the weather and predators. However as local weather change brings hotter winters, this shelter is disappearing.
To assist them survive, a staff of 300 volunteers spends days shoveling snow into large snow banks across the fringe of a frozen lake. Final winter, they made 200 piles, and due to their efforts, the nation’s seal inhabitants is rising.
Why is that this excellent news? Whereas we typically observe the rule that we should always shield pure areas and habitats, not disturb them — the fact is that human exercise has already disturbed them. As we proceed to work shortly to reverse these local weather impacts, we will do our half to assist endangered species survive, too.
Finland simply grew to become the primary nation on this planet to ban cargo ships from dumping wastewater in its coastal waters
In a “main environmental victory” the Finnish Parliament simply handed legistation to ban cargo ships from dumping wastewater into its coastal waters. Finland is now the primary nation on this planet to implement this type of ban, which can go into impact in July.
Whereas passenger ships have been prohibited from discharging wastewater, it’s the primary time cargo ships can be banned from the follow, too.
And whereas the ships can nonetheless technically dump their wastewater in worldwide waters, it is a main victory for shielding Finland’s coastlines and coastal ecosystems.
Why is that this excellent news? At the moment, solely 20% of ships that function within the Baltic Sea offload their sewage at ports. The wastewater discharged at sea comprises giant quantities of nutrient-rich fecal micro organism and strong waste, which causes poisonous algea blooms in the summertime.
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Endangered sea otters have a extremely underrated job: consuming 120,000 invasive underwater creatures a yr
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Medical college students on the College of Texas are serving to their unhoused neighbors entry important medical care
As soon as every week, a gaggle of medical college students from the College of Texas collect on the C.D. Doyle Clinic to deal with sufferers who’re experiencing homelessness or uninsured.
The clinic is operated completely by college students to offer care “to the underserved inhabitants, no matter their background or insurance coverage standing.”
For individuals experiencing homelessness or working to get into steady housing, a scarcity of insurance coverage and excessive out-of-pocket prices are main obstacles to accessing important medical care. The clinic is situated at a group heart that gives transitional housing.
The U.S. Division of Transportation simply introduced “unprecedented” new protections for disabled passengers
Requiring airways to satisfy extra rigorous requirements for “secure and dignified” help for its passengers with disabilities, particularly these utilizing wheelchairs.
Amongst different issues, the brand new rule mandates annual coaching for workers and contractors who bodily help passengers and deal with wheelchairs. It additionally places extra clear necessities round promptness when serving to disabled passengers enplane, deplane, and make connections. Airways should additionally present loaner wheelchairs and scooters after they’re broken.
Whereas many airways already provide help for disabled passengers, many vacationers have reported delays, poor remedy, and mishandled wheelchairs to the DOT.
Why is that this excellent news? Each passenger and buyer of an airline deserves to have a secure journey expertise and have their fundamental wants met, no matter means. Earlier rules weren’t robust sufficient to ship that have for disabled passengers, and these extra rigorous requirements will assist present extra equitable care and a focus.
For the second yr in a row, Boston is on monitor to see its fewest homicides and shootings in a single yr
In 2023, Boston broke its report for the fewest homicides and shootings within the metropolis’s historical past. This yr, it’s on monitor to interrupt the report once more.
There have been 37 homicides reported in 2023, the bottom for the reason that metropolis started counting. As of December 10 of this yr, Boston has seen 22 homicides — breaking that report, and almost halving it from the 40 reported simply two years in the past.
Town began the yr out robust, with an 82% discount within the first quarter in comparison with the prior yr. It was the most important drop in homicides amongst all giant U.S. cities — the second finest was Philadelphia with 37%.
Specialists level to a “renewed effort to incorporate the group within the means of public security” as an enormous motive for the decline. This features a community of neighborhood associations and community-based organizations specializing in younger individuals in danger for violence.
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China simply accomplished its 3,046-kilometer “Nice Inexperienced Wall” alongside its greatest desert
China simply accomplished one a part of its large initiative to make use of reforestation to carry again the growth of the Gobi Desert and different arid areas: a 3,046-kilometer “Nice Inexperienced Wall.”
Pink willows, sacsaoul, and different tree species are anticipated to behave like a “safety wall” to cease the stream of desert winds and sandstorms, which have a harmful influence on agriculture. Desertification like it is a large international subject, too.
Launched in 1978, the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program is slated to be completed by 2050, may contain as many as 100 billion bushes, and would be the world’s largest ecological engineering mission.
What’s the nuance? Some consultants fear the mission isn’t sustainable and received’t have the specified end result — arguing that planting bushes the place they don’t seem to be native may have bigger unfavorable implications for the ecosystem. Nonetheless, desertification is a large subject, and the mission reveals China’s efforts to handle it — and the advantages and significance of tree cowl is well-documented.
Writer James Patterson gave tons of of impartial bookstore staff a vacation bonus
Since 2015, bestselling novelist James Patterson has been awarding vacation bonuses to impartial bookstore staff — and this yr, he continued that custom.
Chosen from hundreds of candidates, 600 booksellers obtained $500 vacation bonuses this yr — working at bookstores throughout the nation, like Thank You Books in Birmingham, Metropolis Lights Books in San Francisco, and The Nook in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The winners have been nominated for the bonus by coworkers and prospects.
Along with these annual bonuses, Patterson has additionally given hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to colleges, libraries, and literacy packages.
Extra excellent news of the week —
Lengthy-targeted by activists, the U.S. EPA banned two cancer-causing chemical substances present in properties and workplaces. The ban entails trichloroethylene, frequent in manufacturing, and all shopper makes use of and lots of industrial makes use of of perchloroethylene, utilized in dry cleansing, manufacturing, car restore, and extra.
Because of widespread conservation efforts, an Australian endangered species has returned to a nationwide park. An enormous win for numbats, conservationists noticed child numbats working wild in Dryandra Woodlands Nationwide Park for the primary time in years and estimated that the inhabitants had grown from 5 to 25.
Zimbabwe’s senate authorised laws to abolish the demise penalty, and its president is anticipated to signal it into legislation. Zimbabwe hasn’t utilized the demise penalty in almost 20 years, largely as a consequence of a scarcity of individuals keen to function executioners, and there are at the moment greater than 60 individuals on demise row.
Promoted by NFL participant Damar Hamlin, the U.S. Senate handed the HEARTS Act to fund AEDs and CPR coaching in faculties. Hamlin’s life was saved by skilled medical employees and an AED gadget after he went into cardiac arrest on-field, and President Biden is anticipated to signal the invoice into legislation.
In an effort to be “much more inclusive,” 85% of British pubs now provide no- and low-alcohol beer. A report 140 million pints of no or low-alcohol beer are anticipated to be bought this yr, up 12% from 2023, reflecting a gradual rise within the reputation of non-alcoholic drinks.
Lengthy-time activist Sheryl Lee Ralph was simply honored because the LGBTQ+ Advocate of the Yr. The Broadway-turned-TV star was honored for over 30 years of efforts to struggle the AIDS epidemic and uplift marginalized communities by means of her nonprofit, the DIVA Basis.
Alongside the launch of her new digital e book membership, Dylan Mulvaney donated hundreds of banned books. In partnership with RuPaul’s e book market, the e book membership will function a choice of books together with “fierce feminine leads, steamy rom-coms, empowering self-help, and wonderful LGBTQIA+ reads.”
Because of newly accessible land, native scientists in Colombia are reviving the nation’s biodiversity. Colombia is named considered one of 33 international plant biodiversity ‘darkish spots’ – areas of the world which are teeming with vegetation, hundreds of that are nonetheless unknown to us.
After being struck by a ship, a paralyzed sea turtle can now swim once more due to an progressive 3D-printed harness. A situation that may trigger paralysis and make it laborious to feed and keep away from predators, instances of “bubble butt syndrome” are growing, as extra already-endangered sea turtles face accidents from human causes.
Because of a “beneficiant” reward, a New Hampshire ski space is providing free raise tickets and path entry all season. The donation from the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Basis will assist enhance entry to the ski space, so extra winter sports activities lovers can benefit from the slopes.
New Mexico voted unanimously to position the strongest water high quality protections on 250 miles of rivers and streams. These areas are actually designated as Excellent Nationwide Useful resource Waters, outlawing degradation together with high quality harms equivalent to air pollution, heavy metals, elevated temperature, or clouding.
A brand new AI picture software may assist analyze wildlife pictures to study how local weather change is impacting species all over the world. The software would assist scientists analyze hundreds of thousands of pictures, revealing key insights into the impacts of local weather change, air pollution, habitat loss, and different pressures on animal and plant species.
A groundbreaking public well being report particulars methods to stop deaths from drowning. Greater than 300,000 individuals globally die from drowning yearly and almost all are preventable — the brand new report’s easy, low-tech methods helped scale back drownings by 38% since 2000.
A large photo voltaic and storage facility is now on-line in California, with the second part set to be accomplished in 2025. Eland 1’s building supported 325 jobs and pumped cash into native companies. Over its lifetime, the mission will generate greater than $18 million, offering income for faculties, first responders, and different native wants.
A world-first AI digital camera helps spot and catch individuals driving underneath the affect of medication and alcohol. The state-of-the-art Heads-Up machine can detect highway use and habits in keeping with drivers who could also be impaired by alcohol or medication, catching them earlier than an accident can happen.
