#77: let's bring the redwoods back
This week was Thanksgiving here in the US!
I'm home in Chicago where I got to see some of my best childhood friends, run the turkey trot with my family, play a bunch of games, be around even more loved ones, and eat way too much.
How about you?
Excuse me for one moment while I get a little gushy:
I couldn't be writing Climativity, nor making my daily videos and spreading positivity to so many people, if it weren't for your support. I'm incredibly thankful for everyone reading this right now and I hope that in some way, I've been able to return the favor by helping you gain a little more hope. You all being here gives me just as much hope for the future as all of these stories do.
Thank you, thank you, thank you...
The good from Friday, November 17
A national park in Mozambique has had a remarkable recovery of wildlife populations by empowering and educating women which has shifted conservation attitudes. (El Pais)
Startups are helping recycle wind turbines by turning retired blades into new products like park benches, planters, and picnic tables, often donating them to public spaces. (Bloomberg)
New York sued Pepsico on Wednesday for plastic pollution in the Buffalo River and misleading the public, aiming to make them pay for pollution damages and force them to reduce plastic waste. (EcoWatch)
The US and China met and agreed on an effort to combat climate issues together including tripling renewable energy and stronger climate plans. (Reuters)
The good from Monday, November 20
Portugal ran on 100% renewable energy for 6 straight days even while it was raining, using hydro and wind power that dropped utility bills to nearly 0. (Canary Media)
State parks are increasing accessibility for people with disabilities to enjoy nature with badass all-terrain track chairs and improved facilities. (Stateline)
Over 5,000 pressed flowers from Italy preserved in the 1500s are being analyzed and compared to modern flora to understand how the region’s landscape has changed. (The Guardian)
47 nature reserves now protect 34% of the land in Xizang which has led to an impressive recovery for endangered species like the Tibetan antelope and black-necked crane. (CGTN)
The good from November 21, 2023
Canada has officially banned the trade of elephant ivory and rhino horns throughout the country. (WAN)
Two students in Hong Kong invented an award-winning coating made from waste glass that reflects sunlight, reduces air conditioning needs by about â…“, and helps divert the 470,000 glass bottles that end up in landfills every day. (GNN)
A long-beaked echidna species named after David Attenborough called the Zaglossus attenboroughi was just rediscovered in Indonesia 60 years after it was thought to be extinct. (BBC)
Lizzi Larbalestier is a hero who turned her Airbnb in Cornwall into an animal hospital, helping rehabilitate 100 seals every year, and was just awarded the Animal Action Award for her dedication. (GNN)
The good from Wednesday, November 22
The world’s first sperm whale reserve will be created in Dominica, with the Prime Minister calling the 200 local whales prized citizens. (BBC)
While it’s 3 years overdue, rich nations finally started to hit their commitment of $100 billion annual dollars of climate finance to help poor nations invest in cleaner energy and adapt to extreme weather, hopefully meaning much bigger commitments will follow. (Bloomberg)
Initiatives like Redwoods Rising have goals to restore and conserve 800,000 acres of the tallest trees in the world which store more aboveground carbon than any other forest on the planet. (BBC)
Two Toyota ads have been banned in the UK for “condoning the use of vehicles in a way that disregarded their impact on nature and the environment” with a lack of responsibility to society, or in other words, for greenwashing. (The Guardian)
The good from Thursday, November 23 (Thanksgiving!)
The EPA is investing $2 billion in grants to clean up pollution and develop clean energy in disadvantaged communities. (AP)
Algeria is resuming the ”green dam” project after 53 years which will reforest 1 million hectares of grassy plains to combat desertification. (Afrik21)
The EU has become the first to criminalize widescale environmental damage with serious penalties of up to 40 million euros and prison time. (The Guardian)
America’s first mixed hydrogen and battery-powered ferry doesn’t emit CO2 and is set to replace older, polluting diesel boats in San Francisco. (Canary Media)
Bonus stories
For a little more good <3
Moushumi Basu
The Christian Science Monitor
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Jacob
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