Leah Thomas is an intersectional environmental educator, writer, and creative based in Southern California. Her passion for the relationship between social justice and environmentalism led her to found @greengirlleah and the Intersectional Environmentalist platform.

Leah was the first to define the term “intersectional environmentalism,” giving advocates everywhere a vocabulary for the future of environmentalism.

She’s the author of The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet — and the guest editor of The Intersectional Environmentalist Edition of the Goodnewspaper. ‍ ‍

Leah Thomas / Illustration by Johnathan Huang for The Intersectional Environmentalist Edition of the Goodnewspaper

As a part of our collaborative Intersectional Environmentalist Edition of the Goodnewspaper, we wanted to learn more from Leah’s journey in environmental and social justice.

So our editorial team sat down with her for an in-depth interview about everything from her new book to coping mechanisms to environmental liberation realized.

In a time when sustainability and environmentalism feels overwhelming, hopeless, or unattainable, Leah provides some much-needed grace, compassion, and nuance.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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A Conversation with Intersectional Environmentalist, Leah Thomas‍

On overlapping identities, privilege, practicing rest, and what our better future looks like -

Kamrin Baker (Good Good Good): So, Leah, we’ll start with the easy question. Give us a supersonic, super quick preview of your book. What’s it about, and why should people read it?

Leah Thomas: “ The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People and Planet “ — which is one of the longest names ever — is the textbook that I always wanted.

But instead of being a boring textbook, it has rainbows and art throughout. And it’s all about intersectional theory, ecofeminism, the history of the environmental justice movement, and lots of examples of intersectional environmentalism.

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Amanda R. Martinez (Good Good Good): Speaking of intersectional environmentalism, how do you define it?

Leah: Intersectional Environmentalism (IE) is an inclusive approach to environmentalism that advocates for the protection of both people and the planet.

IE argues that social and environmental justice are intertwined — and that environmental advocacy that disregards this connection is harmful and incomplete.

IE focuses on achieving climate justice, amplifying historically excluded voices, and approaching environmental education policy and activism with equity, inclusion, and restorative justice in mind.

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Branden Harvey (Good Good Good): You mentioned earlier that this is an updated definition. Where did that evolution come from?

Leah: So, the first definition of intersectional environmentalism that I released into the world was on Instagram, and I honestly did it on a whim during the summer of 2020.

I was in my bed under my covers, frustrated and on Canva, and I just typed out, “okay, this is the type of environmentalism I want. I’m an intersectional feminist. I want to be an intersectional environmentalist. This is what it means.”

And it was similar, basically almost identical to what I just read, but I wanted to have a bit of a second chance to redefine what it meant to me and also my organization, knowing that IE will mean something different to everyone, which is the beauty of it.

But yeah, I just wanted to put a little bit more thought into it and not just, like, my bedroom Canva moment.

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Amanda: Yeah, I definitely saw that intentionality displayed across your book! I was telling the team how I couldn’t help but relate to some of the stories — thank you for including Latinx voices and the Chicana Movement! I loved that you covered overlapping identities. As a Latina, I’ve seen this play out on a generational level through the women in my family. How can those who struggle to carry multiple identities — gender, race, ethnicity, etc. — practically find a middle ground of both honoring and advocating for these overlapping identities?

Leah: This is such a great question — and that’s one of my favorite essays in the book. I have a story about this — and it may sound like a bit of a tangent — but I was on Twitter one day… And I don’t like Ben Shapiro very much, and he was tweeting about how he hates intersectionality and he was talking about overlapping identities and why intersectionality is all about race and it doesn’t make room for considering other religious identities, or even ethnicity, religion, spirituality, etc.

I was thinking about it in my head as if I were talking to him — or anyone — that intersectionality actually honors the argument that he is trying to make — because there’s nuance. Even in something like white identity, there’s nuance.

Like, considering, “okay, this person might be privileged in this area,” but there are so many other things to consider that impact how they’re perceived by the world around them; from religion, to whether they’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, ability, and so on and so on.

And I think when people don’t consider that nuance and how those overlaps impact someone’s experience, it’s just a miss. And you can’t really care or show up for people properly. So I know mentioning Ben Shapiro is probably a bit odd, but I was just thinking about that.

But I honestly think it’s so important to consider. And even with myself, there’s just so much nuance to my identity. Like, there are areas where I might hold privilege, but I know for sure being Black and a woman, those are not those areas where I hold privilege. So it’s just really important to consider that nuance.

Like I was saying, to make sure you’re showing up for people properly and you’re also not offending people, and then the reverse is also true, acknowledging areas where you do hold privilege.

So me as a person who is Black and a woman, that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t show up for other people who are also experiencing oppression in one way or another, based on an area of their identity, because that’s just an act of lateral violence, which I talk about in the book.

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Amanda: I know you touched on a lot of very big, heavy subjects so I’m just curious to know if there was one piece of it that challenged you while writing it?

Leah: I think something that I’m learning is progress over perfection. Even though [the book] was super collaborative and there were, like, four editors and me, I see there’s three typos in the book, and it’s going to be updated in future versions, but I think that was the hardest part of the process for me as a perfectionist, to know that this will be incomplete.

And I think that also goes into so many other areas of my life. Like I stated in the book, this is not a perfect book. I can never share every perspective.

And I think with IE, as a platform, we get a lot of people that want us to be perfect and they want us to do an in-depth analysis of every intersectional identity. And it’s hard. It’s really difficult. And I want to do that because I want each and every person to be reflected in everything that I write.

And I think grappling with the fact that I can never do that, especially in one piece of art.

But I can commit to a journey of learning, and then also, show people the pathways that maybe they can do that and they can contribute something that we might even share on IE or with their communities.

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Kamrin: You kind of mentioned your Instagram origin story being in your bedroom on Canva, but I guess I would just like to know, how do you get so involved in this line of work or just environmentalism as a whole? And what’s the journey that led you here?

Leah: I always have loved plants and animals and just, like, running around in nature. And then in school, I decided to go from biology to environmental science and policy.

So when I started studying environmental science at school, that was kind of the starting point of the Black Lives Matter movement in many ways, and also a lot of other things, like the Women’s March, March for Science. Like, so many social and science-y things were happening at the same time.

So I was really active in social justice efforts while also studying the science behind the climate crisis. I was kind of being drawn to both movements and thought, “okay, there’s actually a lot of overlap here.” And the same communities that I’m advocating for who are facing oppression are also not having access to all that Mother Earth has to offer because of things like air pollution, water pollution, proximity, the landfills on and on.

So, I think realizing that I didn’t have to pick and choose, and learning a lot more about intersectional theory during college as well, because of things like the Women’s March happening and learning about intersectional feminism, that kind of started me on this journey of, “okay, I feel like I should focus on this intersection between social justice and environmentalism.”

And even more, I started to realize that there’s so much research that’s been done since the 80s by people of color in the environmental justice space. It made me realize that it’s not that the data isn’t there, but it’s not being taught and it’s not being amplified. So that’s how I started to kind of focus on talking about environmental justice history.

But onto social media, and the @greengirlleah origin story. Honestly, before I was about to graduate, I loved writing, and I had been doing freelance writing throughout college. I wanted to have some sort of digital portfolio that could show that I could curate a social media feed and kind of serve as an online resume.

And I also wanted to show other Black girls like me, like, just being Black outside on Earth, because I think representation is really important. So that was the initial purpose of @greengirlleah.

And then, over time, it just grew where I started to also talk about environmental justice advocacy. But it really did start out as a personal blog, and I’m trying to reclaim that a little bit because I feel like, in many ways, Intersectional Environmentalist is the resource.

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Branden: I was going back through old And I realized, before you made that I know so many people discovered you through Intersectional Environmentalist, but it’s really cool that you were making this impact on your personal account. You are helping make a difference. And it’s that idea that you do a lot of hard work every day and then sometimes just like that, hard work meets opportunity and then things explode, and it’s cool that your origin goes back so far, and not everybody has seen that. But that is what’s making your work today so important and valuable. No question, just a comment! viral post about intersectional environmentalism, we mentioned you in one of our issues of the paper, and I love that. Goodnewspapers the other day because we’ve done a few issues of the sustainability edition before — and in preparation for The Intersectional Environmentalist Edition — I was asking questions like: “What have we not included before that we want to include? What have we included that our audience already knows about?” Amanda: What are the things on this beautiful planet that keep you grounded in your fight for justice?

Leah: That makes me really happy to hear. And I think it’s funny because when my Instagram started taking off a little bit in 2020, I had a lot of people that were like, “who are you? You just showed up overnight, you just didn’t do anything.” And I’m like, “Okay, first of all, no, but I have been an environmental science student for quite some time.”

And then like you said, who knows? Internet virality. It should happen to so many other people other than me. But sometimes, the algorithm just lines up in a certain way and I don’t know, I’m just doing what I can with it.

But yeah, it is really interesting how that works out because I had my blog since 2016, and then in 2020 — four years later — it’s just a thing now, I guess.

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Amanda: How do you rest during the week? What are things that you do to incorporate that?

Leah: I would say something that keeps me grounded is understanding the importance of community and that you can’t do something alone, really. And the importance of resting because that’s the great part about community and movements.

Like, it’s not about one person, it’s about all those people who are part of it. And if, say, one person- like me — needs to sit out for a little bit, that’s fine. The movement goes on and on because there are other people that are there. And then when they need to sit out for a little bit, we can kind of hold each other up.

So I feel really grounded in the community that I’ve been able to find. And then also lots of narratives about rest and joy that are happening in the environmental and activism space, how people are kind of reclaiming the right to rest, to show up and advocate for what they care about.

Kamrin: How do you incorporate the teachings of intersectional environmentalism into your day-to-day life? I know you kind of just mentioned what that looks like on a community level with your friends, but we’d just love to know a little more.

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Leah: I would say I have started going for runs and different things like that, just going outside to be in nature. I know that doesn’t sound like a restful activity, but it’s kind of like a mindful meditation in some way.

Really just spending time with my friends. And even if I can’t see people because I’m so busy, like sending them a meme or sending TikToks, that’s how some of my friendships have been sustained over the last year — it’s, like, just TikTok DMs. And also watching things that have nothing to do with the destruction of the planet on Netflix. There are so many fun, amazing, funny shows out there!

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Leah: I love nuance. So I feel like by, I don’t know, like just kind of fighting against perfectionism, whether it’s just individually understanding that I’ll never be the perfect sustainable person and allowing room for imperfection.

And then I think, also, in conversations with people, even if they’re an environmental activist that’s, like, super-serious, it makes me happy to reassure them sometimes.

Kamrin: Yeah, definitely. I totally think it is. I think it’s kind of the practice of just, like, finding those small moments where it’s like, “actually, I think I can add a different perspective.”

Like, it’s okay if you had a plastic fork, it’s fine. Or if you happen to travel because you went to this environmental event or whatever, like, it’s okay, it’s fine.

And kind of just talking about nuance… I don’t know if this makes me a devil’s advocate. I really wouldn’t like to see it that way. But in conversations with, say, like, non-intersectional vegans, like, opening up the conversation to kind of root for the underdog and talk about Indigenous Peoples and the ways that they have participated in agriculture and not to place the blame on communities of color.

So, yeah, hopefully, that’s not a devil’s advocate and more of like an intersectional environmentalist advocate.

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We kind of just talked a little bit about rest, and this kind of acknowledges a bit of a double meaning with the word sustainability. But I’d love to know more about your creative process and how you create in a way that is sustainable for you. What are some practices that help you engage with the world without experiencing too much burnout?

Leah: I would say, in all transparency, I’m still figuring that out. There are some days in the week where I’ve been working, and I only had, like, chocolate today. That’s not okay. And I think a mantra for myself, like you said, is redefining what sustainability means and self-sustainability.

Amanda: What motivates you to keep doing good in a world that is increasingly demanding and scary, what makes you hopeful, what keeps you doing all this good?

I need to do these things in order to not even just do work, because sometimes it’s like you need a rest so you can show up and work more, or so you can show up and advocate for the causes.

But I’m kind of reframing that. Like, I need to rest and take care of myself because that’s what I need to do because I love myself. And I also love these causes that I care about. But to really care for causes, I feel like you have to love yourself properly in some ways.

Just like they say in relationships. Like, how are you going to love somebody if you can’t love yourself? How are you going to show up for these causes that you care about if you’re not really working on that self-love? So I try, but it’s imperfect, and I’m figuring it out.

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Amanda: When it comes to doing good, what’s ahead for your organization and the intersectional environmentalism movement as a whole?

Leah: I just have a lot of hope for the future. I took some personality test back in high school — I don’t really remember what it’s called — but it gives you, like, five characteristics of yourself or something that you’re supposed to be. And one of them was, “futuristic,” which I thought was really cool. That’s the only one I remember.

But, yeah, I just really believe that the future can be really cool and that the present can be not so bad if we, I don’t know, just try.

And I also think that being good is so much easier than being bad. Like, you have to put so much energy into being bad. I just want to be joyful and do good.

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Leah: IE, as an organization, yeah, I’m really excited for what’s to come. We’re kind of doing a rebrand right now and revisiting our mission and values and who we want to become.

Kamrin: To finish off, we just would love it if you could paint a picture of what a more just and equitable future looks like to you. Like, how would you love to see environmental liberation in practice?

There’s a lot that we’ve done in our past year, from just, like, consulting behind the scenes to offering trainings, to student-led films and things like that.

And I think our main focus is: How do you put structure to grassroots online momentum? And it’s a challenge, but it’s good.

Something that we’re investing in is our program called Earth Sessions. So these are going to be these really special music moments where we partner with BIPOC-led environmental justice organizations and artists, poets and creatives that care about the planet, bring them together, have a really cool event where artists get to be in conversation with these really rad environmental justice organizations. And then attendees get to learn and, like, boogie down. So, yeah, I’m excited for those.

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Leah: I feel like once I start daydreaming, it’s really easy for it to go into, like, a kind of utopia world. But you might as well imagine a utopia, and then maybe you’ll land somewhat short of that, which is okay.

A version of this conversation was originally published in The Goodnewspaper is a monthly, carbon neutral, print newspaper filled with good news — and is delivered to thousands of subscribers passionate about celebrating good and making a difference.
The Intersectional Environmentalist Edition of the Goodnewspaper in March 2022.

I guess your question is, what is environmental liberation actualized? I don’t know. Just, like, thinking about people being able to breathe clean air and breathe and exist in every facet of that meaning. Being able to breathe and exist in a safe and healthy environment.

So really, it’s just insane to me that in many ways, environmental liberation is like meeting basic human needs and rights, in my opinion, having clean air, having clean water, having food, the things that you need in order to achieve joy.

That’s my dream. And I know that it’s not a big one because people deserve basic human needs and basic environmental needs. So, yeah, that’s my perfect future.

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Originally published at https://www.goodgoodgood.org on March 3, 2022.

Get To Know Green Girl, Environmental Leader: Leah Thomas was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

This week, after the loss of E.O. Wilson, we’re looking back on some of the most prolific quotes from his work as a biologist — and his musings about life.

E.O. Wilson was most well-known for his work on insects, bio-diversity, and how humans impact the environment. He was 92.

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Quotes from Edward O. Wilson about earth, humans, and making the world a better place:

1. “You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.” — E.O. Wilson

2. “If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.” — E.O. Wilson

3. “Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal.” — E.O. Wilson

4. “Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction.” — E.O. Wilson

5. “Science and religion are the two most powerful forces in the world. Having them at odds… is not productive.” — E.O. Wilson

6. “Without a trace of irony I can say I have been blessed with brilliant enemies. I owe them a great debt, because they redoubled my energies and drove me in new directions.” — E.O. Wilson

7. “A very Faustian choice is upon us: whether to accept our corrosive and risky behavior as the unavoidable price of population and economic growth, or to take stock of ourselves and search for a new environmental ethic.” — E.O. Wilson

8. “Perhaps the time has come to cease calling it the ‘environmentalist’ view, as though it were a lobbying effort outside the mainstream of human activity, and to start calling it the real-world view.” — E.O. Wilson

9. “The education of women is the best way to save the environment.” — E.O. Wilson

10. “Change will come slowly, across generations, because old beliefs die hard even when demonstrably false.” — E.O. Wilson

11. “Only in the last moment of human history has the delusion arisen that people can flourish apart from the rest of the living world.” — E.O. Wilson

And last, but not least…

12. “Every kid has a bug period… I never grew out of mine.” — E.O. Wilson

Originally published at goodgoodgood.co.

12 Best E.O. Wilson Quotes About Nature, Life, & Sustainability was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

There’s no denying that a lot of heartbreak, pain, and injustice was packed into 2021. It’s also true that there were so many moments of hope and stories of Helpers to inspire and remind us that progress is possible — and it’s happening all the time.

In the face of devastating news from the UN’s IPCC report that many of the impacts of human-caused climate change will be unavoidable — countries, governments, activists, scientists, businesses, and more came together to meet the moment and work quickly toward positive environmental change.

Renewable energy sources keep getting cheaper, President Biden revoked the Keystone XL oil pipeline permits for good, scientists are working to solve two major obstacles to wider adoption of renewables: storage and recycling materials. Conservation efforts led to coral reefs coming back to life, people are working to solve our plastic waste problem, and major universities and whole countries stopped investing in fossil fuels.

There was so much good to celebrate in 2021 — scroll through to get inspired and ready to tackle the biggest challenges facing our planet in the new year.

And if you want more, check out our entire collection of good news about climate change.

Progress is possible.

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The Empire State Building and 13 others are now exclusively powered by wind

As of January 1, all 13 buildings owned by the Empire State Realty Trust — including the iconic Empire State Building — are officially being completely powered by wind.

Their 14 buildings have more than 10 million square feet total, and with the purchase of the 3-year contract, the trust is now the largest real estate user of entirely renewable energy in the U.S.

The Empire State Building itself has run on renewables since 2011, and the trust had already cut the skyscraper’s emissions by about 40%. By adding all its buildings, they’ll avoid producing around 450 million pounds of carbon dioxide. According to reporting from The Washington Post, that’s the equivalent of removing all New York City taxis from the road for a year.

Operating buildings is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. — and in New York alone, buildings generate over two-thirds of the city’s entire carbon emissions.

We still have a long way to go in cutting emissions in New York City and all over the country, but this is a really big, incredible step in the right direction. We’re celebrating the Empire State Realty Trust leading the way for more of the same!

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After years of work by activists, the Keystone XL oil pipeline permits were revoked

Indigenous and environmental activists have been working to stop construction on an extension to the existing Keystone oil pipeline that runs from Canada to the U.S. Gulf coast.

And it’s not just activists — a 2017 Pew Research study found that a majority of Americans oppose the pipeline. It would transport “tar sands” to U.S. oil refineries.

Not only the dirtiest kind of oil, it contains a substance called bitumen, which sinks when spilled in water.

Spills have occurred in Arkansas and Michigan, and according to the National Academy of Sciences is extremely difficult, if not impossible to completely clean up.

Construction on the pipeline has been delayed for years, but yesterday, President Biden signed an executive order revoking the permit needed to continue construction.

This is really good news for a number of reasons: it’s proof that the activism of individuals really does make a difference. That when we all learn better, we can do better.

Not to mention, we need to decrease our dependence on oil and fossil fuels if we’re to slow, stop, and reverse the adverse impact of climate change on our planet.

The more we spend time and money investing in infrastructure for fossil fuels, the less time and money we have to invest in the long-term, sustainable solutions we need to pursue more immediately.

The price of solar electricity has dropped 89% in 10 years

In 2009, it was 223% more expensive to build a new solar farm than a new coal plant. Now, it’s flipped: Based on new 2019 data gathered by Our World In Data, electricity from a new coal plant is 177% more expensive than electricity from new solar panels.

From 2009 to 2019, the price of electricity from solar dropped 89% in 10 years, and the price of onshore wind dropped 70%!

Much of the decline in cost is due to more affordable technology. The first iterations of solar energy capture were extremely expensive, and not scalable. However, in “learning by doing”, it created a cycle of progress that lead to the decline in price: solar tech was installed, leading to more research and development, leading to more/better tech and more installations, and so on.

Another benefit of added solar capacity: it gets even cheaper the more capacity there is!

This good data is really good news for the future.

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In a historic victory for climate change, a court ordered Shell to cut its carbon emissions by 45% by the year 2030

In a historic, landmark victory for the planet and for climate change, a Dutch court ordered Royal Dutch Shell to cut its net carbon emissions by 45% by the year 2030.

“The climate won today,” said Roger Cox, a lawyer for the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth, which was one of the organizations behind the case. “This ruling will change the world. Worldwide, people are in the starting blocks to take legal action against oil companies following our example.”

This ruling has been a long time coming. A group of seven environmental and human rights organizations, along with around 1,700 Dutch citizens filed the case back in 2018. And while this case is one in a string of lawsuits filed around the world by climate activists, it’s believed to be the first against a multinational corporation.

And the court ruling is really, really good news for the planet!

The court didn’t give Shell any specific directions for how to achieve this, giving it “complete freedom in how it meets its reduction obligation and in shaping the Shell group’s corporate policy.”

Time to get to work, Shell.

A woman in Kenya opened a factory that turns plastic waste into bricks that are even stronger than concrete

Materials engineer Nzambi Matee was “tired of being on the sidelines of seeing plastic.” In her home city, she said Nairobi generates around 500 metric tons (about 1.1 million pounds) of plastic waste per day — and only a fraction of it is actually recycled.

Plastic waste is also a worldwide problem. Globally, 1 million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute, and up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used every year.

“Plastic is a material that is misused and misunderstood. The potential is enormous, but its after life can be disastrous,” Matee told the UN Environmental Program.

So, Nzambi Matee got to work creating a solution. She founded Gjenge Makers, which turns plastic waste into building products. They take plastic waste that can no longer be recycled by other factories, mix it with sand, and create bricks that are 5–7 times stronger than concrete. They’re also really lightweight, which reduces both transportation and installation costs, too.

Currently, they make about 1,000–1,500 paver bricks per day, and are hoping to expand their operation into building bricks, too. So far, they’ve recycled 20 metric tons (about 44,000 pounds) of plastic waste. She also wants to start making building blocks — and scale their operation throughout Africa (just to start)!

“The negative impact we are having on the environment is huge. It’s up to us to make this reality better. Start with whatever local solution you can find and be consistent with it. The results will be amazing,” Matee said.

Because of their durability and affordability, the paver bricks are used primarily at schools, on playgrounds and pathways between classrooms — where students would normally walk on dirt paths.

Five years after they were destroyed by a tropical cyclone, coral reefs off of Fiji are alive again, filled with vibrant colors and fish

In February 2016, one of the worst tropical cyclones to ever hit the southern hemisphere devastated coral reefs across the Namena reserve and Vatu-i-Ra conservation park off of Fiji.

The reefs are once again vibrant with colors and filled will fish and marine life.

In a recent dive expedition led by the Wildlife Conservation Society, scientists found the coral had recovered beyond their expectations.

“I was surprised at how quick the recovery has been, especially at the Namena reserve,” Sangeeta Mangubhai, director of WCS Fiji, told the Guardian.

Mangubhai credited the quick recovery of the reef to their health before the cyclone hit — they were well managed, healthier, and can then recover much faster.

Coral reefs are critical and essential to healthy oceans (and by extension, a healthy planet).

“Healthy reefs are important given how dependent coastal communities are on coral reefs for food, livelihoods and cultural practice,” Mangubhai said. “They are also critical for coastal protection against future storms.”

This is really good news for our oceans, and our planet — we need to keep advocating for protection of our coral reefs. So when natural disasters do strike, they can recover much quicker.

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Greenland has officially stopped all new oil and gas exploration to fight climate change

Greenland announced it would suspend all new oil and gas exploration to fight climate change and focus on sustainable energy development.

Greenland’s government, Naalakkersuisut, said it will no longer issue new licenses for oil and gas exploration. This is hugely significant because Greenland is thought to have a large amount of undiscovered oil deposits. Estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey say it could hold more than 17 billion barrels of oil.

Despite this, the government said that the country has stopped future exploration because the “price of oil extraction is too high.”

“Naalakkersuisut takes climate change seriously. We can see the consequences in our country every day, and we are ready to contribute to global solutions to counter climate change,” said Kalistat Lund, Minister for Agriculture, Self-sufficiency, Energy, and Environment, in the announcement.

“The decision to stop new exploration for oil will contribute to place Greenland as the country where sustainable investments are taken seriously,” Lund added.

Greenland also has a lot at stake from the negative impacts of climate change. Warming temperatures are accelerating the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet, the second-largest ice sheet in the world (the first is the Antarctic ice sheet) which covers about 80% of the country’s surface.

In 2019 alone, the ice sheet lost around 600 billion tons of ice, more than double Greenland’s 2002–2019 yearly average. The ice loss also caused global sea levels to rise by 2.2 millimeters, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Scientists know, governments know, climate refugees know, and each of us know what’s at stake. It gives us hope to see countries like Greenland making decisions that will forever (and for better) alter the course of climate change.

Harvard University announced it will completely stop investing in fossil fuels

Last week, Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow announced that as of June, Harvard Management Company (HMC) no longer had direct investments in fossil fuels, and that they would not make future investments in fossil fuels.

Currently, he said HMC has indirect investments through private equity funds making up less than 2% of the endowment that “are in runoff mode and will end as these partnerships are liquidated.”

Harvard has the country’s largest academic endowment, most recently totaling $41.9 billion, according to reporting from NPR.

“Given the need to decarbonize the economy and our responsibility as fiduciaries to make long-term investment decisions that support our teaching and research mission, we do not believe such investments are prudent,” Bacow wrote in an announcement posted to the university’s website. He also called climate change “the most consequential threat facing humanity.”

This is good news in and of itself — but even better news are the helpers and activists who have been fighting for it behind the scenes for years.

One activist group, Divest Harvard wrote on Twitter that the move was “a massive victory for our community, the climate movement, and the world — and a strike against the power of the fossil fuel industry.”

When it comes to climate change and decarbonizing the world and our economies, we know that change needs to happen swiftly. We also know that the best, most meaningful change usually doesn’t happen as swiftly as we’d like — or in this case, *need* — it to. But that can’t mean we stop fighting.

We’re celebrating this moment of progress with Harvard, and all the activists that have long been fighting for this necessary change!

New reflective streets in Los Angeles are helping cool down neighborhoods, reduce emissions, and keep people healthy

When the scientists aboard the International Space Station direct their thermal camera at Los Angeles, standing out from the sweltering red and orange blob is a crescent of cool, blueish white deep in the San Fernando Valley.

Greg Spotts, Chief Sustainability Officer of the City’s Bureau of Street Services (Streets LA), is proud of these wintry-looking pixels — not many people can say their work is visible from space. In this area, the center of the Valley’s Winnetka neighborhood, the pavement has been painted with a special reflective coating.

The satellite thermal camera is significant because it shows that the special cooling pavement not only lowers the temperature on the road, but “produces a cooler neighborhood” in general, Spotts says.

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For the first time, electric and hybrid vehicles outsold diesel vehicles in Europe

For the first time in Europe’s history, people bought more electric and hybrid vehicles than diesel vehicles in September 2021.

According to data from JATO Dynamics, demand for gas and diesel cars saw a double-digit drop over September 2019, while demand for electrified vehicles increased by 139%. September also marked the second time that electric vehicles accounted for more than 20% of new vehicle registrations in Europe.

The top-seller is still petrol-powered vehicles, but sales of those are trending down as well. Up until about 2016–2017, diesel-powered vehicles were the most-purchased in Europe, when they were overtaken by petrol-powered cars.

This is really encouraging news as the world makes the transition away from fossil fuels in our transportation!

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YouTubers are raising $30 million to remove 30 million pounds of trash from the ocean

Screenshot courtesy of Mr. Beast’s video about #TeamSeas on YouTube

YouTubers all across the digital realm are banding together for a good cause: saving our oceans. #TeamSeas — an initiative by the popular YouTube account Mr. Beast asks content creators to use their influence to raise awareness about the current state of our oceans.

Their ambitious goal is to raise $30 million dollars by the end of the year to take 30 million pounds of trash out of the waters and partnering with popular YouTubers to spread the word.

According to their research, even $1 will take out 1 pound of trash in the ocean. To reach their 30 million pound goal, they’re partnering with the Ocean Conservancy to organize beach and in-ocean cleanups, and with The Ocean Cleanup, to focus on the rivers that contribute the 80% of trash that reach the oceans.

Over 325 million people worldwide pledged to go plastic-free for the month of July

#PlasticFreeJuly began on July 1st. In 177 countries around the world, more than 325 million people took Plastic Free July’s pledge to go plastic-free for the month of July.

From refusing all single-use plastics, to refusing the top 4 plastic items (bags, bottles, straws, and coffee cups), to going completely plastic-free for the entire month, Plastic Free July is a great way to raise awareness about our daily plastic consumption, practice making sustainable swaps, and form new, better, long-term habits that are healthier for the planet!

Because it’s such a durable, cheap (except for the environmental cost) material to make, plastic has found its way into so many areas of our daily lives. It’s extremely difficult to recycle, lasts forever, are made with chemicals that come from fossil fuels, microplastics are extremely harmful to waterways and marine life, and much more. There are rare cases where plastic can be a useful material, but our daily use of it has far exceeded its value.

The good news: there are so many other options. Many coffee shops are accepting reusable containers again, you can bring your own bags to the grocery store, opt for non-plastic-packaged food items, choose soda in a can instead of a bottle, and much more.

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If these stories left you feeling inspired to join in and take action — here are three resources we’ve created to help you get involved in climate action:

1. How To Spot Greenwashing
2. The Media Isn’t Talking About Climate Change Enough — Here’s Why, and How You Can Help Change That
3. How To Help Reduce Food Waste With Apps Like Too Good To Go and OLIO

Originally published at https://www.goodgoodgood.co.

12 Good News Stories About Climate Change from 2021 was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

As we round out the year 2021, we’re looking back on the best good news stories from December. While this year or this month have been filled with heartbreak, pain, and injustice — there have still been so many stories worth celebrating.

Through our years of reporting the best good news stories in the world, we’ve always been able to find people, organizations, and movement shaping the world for the better. And this month has been no exception.

You can check up our complete roundup of all (and we mean all) the best good news from 2021 — and we’ll be updating this December article as more good news happens in the next week.

Thank you for celebrating good news with us!

AIDS-related deaths have declined by 60% since their peak in 2003

December 1st was World AIDS Day — the annual event that raises awareness for the fight against HIV/AIDS. And every year, we continue to have more good news about the progress we’ve made.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) interfere with the body’s immune system, increasing the risk of developing common infections.

HIV/AIDS is a pandemic that, as of 2018, affects nearly 40 million people worldwide, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Between the early 1980s — the time that AIDS was identified — and 2018, the disease caused an estimated 32 million deaths worldwide.

Not only does HIV/AIDS have major health consequences, but it’s also closely associated with discrimination, including violence against HIV-infected individuals.

There is no cure or vaccine (yet), but thanks to medical advances, treatment can slow the course of the disease and may lead to a near-normal life expectancy. And organizations like The Global Fund and (RED) have led the way in advocacy and fundraising that have led to a dramatic decrease in deaths worldwide.

AIDS-related deaths have declined by 60% since their peak in 2003, and the number of babies born each day with HIV has declined by more than two-thirds since 2000.

After ranking among the lowest countries in quality of biodiversity, rewilding projects are multiplying in the U.K.

Rewilding projects are multiplying in the U.K. in response to a growing awareness of the country’s serious loss of biodiversity. Britain as a whole ranked 189th out of 218 countries in the 2016 “State of Nature” report for the quality of its biodiversity and its natural condition.

One of the most innovative projects now underway may be WildEast, which ambitiously hopes to rewild an area more than three times the size of New York City, creating interconnecting wild corridors across East Anglia, England’s most intensely farmed region.

The plan originated with three large estate owners, who, in addition to the commitment of their own lands, have already registered 1,000 “pledgees” for the project. However, some local residents, especially farmers, have complained that there is not enough consultation from the project.

Even so, many East Anglia residents welcome the explosion in wildlife happening on the newly rewilded areas.

This year, Giving Tuesday donations totaled a record $2.7 billion — and volunteering increased by 11%

This year, millions of people around the world participated in the biggest day of generosity of the year.

In the U.S. alone, GivingTuesday Data Commons announced that an estimated 35 million people (!!) participated by giving, volunteering, or donating in some other way — a 6% increase over 2020.

And people donated a record $2.7 billion — a 9% increase over Giving Tuesday in 2020, and a 37% increase over 2019.

In the announcement posted to their website, GivingTuesday said, “A celebration of all types of generosity, GivingTuesday inspired people around the world to give gifts of time, skills, goods, advocacy, and more, showing that everyone has something to give and every act of generosity counts.”

Speaking of all acts of generosity, volunteering on Giving Tuesday also increased by 11% and donated goods (clothes, food, supplies, etc.) increased by 8% over 2020.

These figures should be so inspiring and encouraging to all of us: People are more generous than ever, of their time, money, gifts, skills, and more.

Eliminating harmful microplastics, scientists invented sustainable glitter made from fruit

It is the season for all things sparkly, but at what cost to the environment? It’s a well-known fact that traditional glitter is often made from harmful microplastics that pollute the environment — specifically waterways.

Now, as Christmas celebrations get underway, parents, kids, and craft lovers can opt to use a safer, more sustainable glitter alternative.

Scientists at Cambridge University in the U.K. have developed a new type of glitter made from fruit pulp.

It’s just as sparkly, but it’s vegan, biodegradable, and far less harmful to the environment than conventional glitter.

The BRIT Awards announced that the 2022 award show will feature all gender-neutral categories

At the 2022 BRIT Awards, four traditionally gendered categories -male solo artist, female solo artist, international male solo artist, and international female solo artist — will be replaced with two awards with no gender classification: artist of the year and international artist of the year.

“It is important that The BRITs continue to evolve and aim to be as inclusive as possible,” BRITs chair and Polydor Records Co-President Tom March said in a statement. “It feels completely the right time to celebrate the achievements of artists for the music that they create, and the work that they do, irrespective of gender.”

The BRITs also announced nominations will be extended to featured artist in the song of the year category — previously, only lead artists or named collaborators were given nominations. And they’re adding four new genre awards to include more music styles: alternative/rock, hip-hop/grime/rap, dance, and pop/R&B.

Separating award categories into genders leaves out artists that don’t identify within the male-female binary. Plus, we love that a single award will recognize and honor the music and achievements of a single artist — however they identify.

Other awards shows have removed gender classifications, and we hope this is a sign of even more to come!

A new plan created by Indigenous groups will protect 80% of the Amazon rainforest in Peru and Ecuador

A new plan called the Amazon Sacred Headwaters initiative proposes the protection of 80% of the Amazon in Peru and Ecuador by 2025, consisting of 35 million hectares (86 million acres) of rainforest.

The Amazonian Indigenous organizations leading the plan aim to center Indigenous-led forest management and land tenure to protect endemic species and prevent approximately 2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

According to reporting from Mongabay, the proposal has received positive responses from Ecuadoran and Peruvian government officials, but faces a stumbling block in the fact that both countries rely heavily on extractive industries operating within the Amazon to help pay off foreign debt.

Chile just became the 31st country in the world to pass marriage equality

Good news for equality: Chile just became the 31st country in the world to pass marriage equality — and by an overwhelming margin in both the Chilean Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

According to reporting from Human Rights Watch, Chile’s new law undoes existing legal discrimination against same-sex couples in several areas: parentage, joint adoption, and assisted reproductive technology, and more.

The law also removes the requirement that married transgender people must divorce if they want to have their gender legally recognized.

This good news didn’t come out of nowhere though, it’s the result of years of ongoing advocacy by LGBTQ+ activists in Chile.

It’s also the result of progress over time: in 2015, Chile took a step towards equal rights when it passed a civil union law, allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil unions — but no rights for parents or adoption.

This latest law rights that wrong — and moves the world a step closer towards equal rights for all!

The site of a former coal plant near Toronto is being transformed into a bikeable, walkable lakefront community

The site of an old coal plant outside Toronto in Canada will soon be transformed into a bikeable, walkable lakefront community thanks to the advocacy if and protests from local community members.

According to reporting from Fast Company, the Canadian government shut down the coal plant to reduce emissions, but still originally had planned to replace it with a gas-fired power plant. The surrounding community protested the idea, in favor of something more meaningful.

“There were a lot of grassroots community efforts that really resisted and had a more ambitious vision for what the waterfront could be here, toward a mixed-use, sustainable waterfront community,” Brian Sutherland, vice president of development at Argo Development Corporation, told Fast Company.

Residents of the future community, to be called Lakewood Village, will be able to either bike or walk to everything in 15 minutes or less. It will take back once-obstructed views of and access to the lake, and new bike paths will connect the suburb to Toronto for bike commuters.

The village will create 8,000 homes for an estimated 20,000 people — and 9,000 jobs. The first residents are expected to move in by 2026.

Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1’s most successful driver of all time, is using his platform to support LGBTQ+ rights and quality

Seven-time world champion Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton wore his “Progress Pride” helmet for the first time for a race in Qatar last month in support of LGBTQ+ rights. He raced in it again in Saudi Arabia, and he felt “duty-bound” to speak out.

Both countries hosted Formula 1 for the first time in 2021. Hamilton said Saudi Arabian law related to the LGBTQ+ community was “pretty terrifying.”

According to reporting from the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Saudi Arabia has no laws regarding sexual orientation or gender identity, and judges have convicted people for “immorality”, having sexual relations outside of marriage, and homosexual sex.

“Visibility and representation isn’t everything, and it doesn’t change things necessarily overnight, but it does begin conversations that I think are important,” Racing Pride’s co-founder Richard Morris, one of few openly-gay professional racers, told the foundation.

Last month, Human Rights Watch said Saudi Arabia had “a history of using celebrities and major international events to deflect scrutiny from its pervasive abuses.”

And while Formula 1 launched a “We Race As One” campaign last year, they’ve been criticized for racing in countries with poor human rights records.

Morris said that while Lewis was undoubtedly sending a message to his global fanbase and supporters, he’s also “showing a support that perhaps otherwise wouldn’t be there within the region. He’s raising this issue of human rights and starting those conversations. And I think once you start those conversations, there’s then a need for responses.”

We’re celebrating this growing movement of progress within Formula 1, racing in general, and applauding Hamilton for using is platform to advocate for equality.

Combating both climate change and environmental racism, Chicago is planting 75,000 new trees in parts of the city that need it most

Planting trees in urban areas is a relatively cheap and effective way to mitigate the impacts of climate change and help save energy. In Chicago, city officials are currently in the planning process for planting 75,000 new trees as part of a $188 million climate package passed last month.

And many of the trees will be located in neighborhoods populated by people of color — neighborhoods that because of racist policies and practices have typically suffered from disinvestment of all types, including in green spaces and park services, and which have reduced tree canopies.

As reported by Energy News Network, a tool developed by the Chicago Department of Public Health and the University of Chicago combines existing tree canopy data with assorted health-related metrics such as air quality and traffic volume to help identify areas in greatest need of additional tree cover.

“We expect this historic investment to reap historic outcomes,” said Angela Tovar, chief sustainability officer for the city of Chicago, in a press release.

TIME announced its 2021 ‘Heroes of the Year’ are the vaccine scientists

For the year 2021, TIME announced its “Heroes of the Year” are the vaccine scientists, or as they call them “The Miracle Workers.”

In an announcement article, TIME profiled four of the scientists, Kizzmekia Corbett, Barney Graham, Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman and recognized the rapid, combined, global efforts of scientists around the globe to create the vaccines.

While some were created — still in record time — using more established methods, the breakthrough of the mRNA vaccine platform not only changed the course of the pandemic, but will continue to change the health for the foreseeable future.

“We have turned a disease that has been a once-in-a-generation fatal pandemic, that has claimed more than 780,000 lives in America, into what is for the most part a vaccine-preventable disease,” says Dr. Leana Wen, professor of health policy and management at George Washington University. “That is the difference that the vaccine has made.”

In the announcement, TIME said named “the miracle workers” behind the vaccines the heroes of the year “not only because they gave the world a defense against a pathogen, but also because the manner of that astonishing achievement guards more than our health: they channeled their ambitions to the common good, talked to one another and trusted in facts.”

Hopefully, those with the power to do so will model their ambition and continue the work toward global vaccine equity.

🏅 It’s also important to note that TIME named Simone Biles the “Athlete of the Year” — in part for her brave contributions to not only the sporting world, but to the conversation around mental health.

A report found that rapped Logic’s song featuring the National Suicide Prevention Hotline may have saved hundreds of lives

A new report found that hip hop artist Logic’s song “1–800–273–8255” — the phone number of the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — may have saved hundreds of lives.

The song released in 2017, but the findings from the study were recently published in the BMJ research journal.

It found that the lifeline saw nearly 10,000 more calls, and there was a 5.5% reduction in suicides among 10- to 19-year-olds during three time periods: the first 34 days after the song’s release, Logic’s performance at the 2017 MTV Music Awards, and a performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards.

That reduction equates to 245 fewer suicides than what was expected during those periods.

“To know that my music was actually affecting people’s lives, truly, that’s what inspired me to make the song,” Logic told CNN, “We did it from a really warm place in our hearts to try to help people. And the fact that it actually did, that blows my mind.”

We’re thankful for voices like Logic, and everyone who uses their platform to advocate for things like suicide prevention, mental health, and more. It makes a difference.

And we hope it serves as a reminder that YOUR voice makes a difference, too! You don’t need a song on the music charts to make a difference — you just have to care, and then take a step to use your voice, too.

The world’s largest freshwater wind farm is now operating in The Netherlands

Windpark Fryslân, the world’s largest freshwater wind farm sitting in the Netherlands’ Lake IJssel, is now online and fully operational.

The 382.7 megawatt wind farm is around 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) off the Frisian coast, which is located in the north of the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany. According to reporting from Electrek, it’s made up of 83 turbines, and is expected to produce around 1.5 TWh of electricity per year.

While that’s only around 1.2% of the country’s electricity consumption, or enough to power around 500,000 households, this is really a really good point of progress to celebrate in the transition towards renewable energy solutions.

500,000 fewer households consuming energy produced by fossil fuels = good news.

Las Cruces, New Mexico just became the latest to join a small group of cities with all-women governing bodies

The city of Las Cruces, New Mexico will soon have women in all six of its city council seats — it joins a short list of all-women or nearly all-women governing bodies in the U.S.

Women hold 30.5% of municipal offices nationwide, including mayoral offices, city councils and other similar bodies, according to data released earlier this year that shows similar representation limitations in state and federal offices. It makes all-women or nearly all-women governing bodies all the more noteworthy.

Las Cruces has used ranked-choice voting since the city council approved an ordinance in 2018.

The system — which allows residents to pick multiple candidates by preference — has been credited with helping women and people of color candidates because it’s less likely to create false choices amongst diverse candidates.

As reported by The 19th, the earliest known example of an all-women governing body in America was recorded in 1887 in the city of Syracuse, Kansas, when an all-woman city council was elected.

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A New Soccer League Is Helping Gaza Amputees Cope With War Traumas

Palestine’s first national soccer team made up entirely of amputees is here. The players are war refugees from the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict along the Gaza strip. According to AP News, the players say the game helps them cope with the trauma of their injuries and the hardships of living in a crowded territory that has endured four wars and a blockade.

“We feel we have something, we can give something,” said Ziad Abu Halib, 41, who lost his right leg in 2008, during the first Israel-Hamas war. Per AP, he hasn’t missed a single practice or match since joining the local league after it was founded in 2019.

The team is now officially a national team thanks to the collaboration between the International Committee of the Red Cross working with Palestinian Amputee Football Association. The team is now qualified for the World Cup for amputees in Turkey in 2022.

By giving a positive and physical outlet to those who have suffered extensive wartime injuries, the soccer team is bringing folks together and giving them a common goal in addition to healing. Coach Simon Baker told AP News, “The goal is to create an environment whereby the players come to the field and they leave the trauma behind.”

Originally published at https://www.goodgoodgood.co.

15 Positive Good News Stories from December (So Far) was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

For veterans of combat diving, life after the military can lack a sense of purpose. Now a nonprofit called Force Blue is giving these military veterans a new mission by employing their unique underwater skills to restore ocean health.

Veterans of combat diving are used to mission-focused work, so transitioning back to civilian life and working at a desk can be a difficult adjustment for many veterans. Enter Force Blue, a nonprofit that unites military veterans with the world of coral reef conservation for the betterment of both.

A big challenge these combat divers face, according to the team’s executive director Jim Ritterhoff, is a sense of not having a mission anymore.

“We’re not a dive therapy program,” Ritterhoff told the news program Living on Earth. “Our guys are already the best divers in the world. We’re a mission therapy program. We’re all about giving them back that sense [that] your skillset can still be utilized. We can take the training that you already have and the qualities that made you so successful in the military and now use those for the greater good for a cause larger than themselves.”

These veterans come from backgrounds of highly specialized work: special operations teams with extensive government training in SCUBA diving. These combat divers come from all branches of the military, and millions of dollars have been invested in them throughout their military careers to turn them into specialized underwater operators. It’s a rigorous program to become a combat diver and one of the more difficult schools in the U.S. military.

The Force Blue team consists of 12 combat divers who can be deployed to restore coral reefs, remove invasive species, and remove marine debris. At the start of the program in 2017, the team went through a two-week training led by marine scientists and environmentalists followed by five days of individual therapy with Dr. Carrie Elk, who specializes in post-traumatic stress in the special operations community.

Right after training, Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit, and the ocean floors in the Florida Keys and Puerto Rico suffered extensive damage. The team deployed and — working with other conservation groups — worked to bring the floors back to their former glory. Their uniquely specialized training allows Force Blue to work on operations that other groups don’t have the capability to tackle. For example, an impressively massive 900-pound, 500-year-old coral pillar had been ripped from the floor by Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys. One of the groups Force Blue worked with, the government agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, does not lift anything over 100 pounds. But the Force Blue divers — who had lifted predator drones off the ocean floor in the past — took care of it no problem. It was a significant win for conservation because only four of these pillars exist in the Keys.

But it’s not all about conservation. For many of the group’s members, it’s healing to repurpose their skills and continue their service in a new context. The group is centered around working with veterans who specifically need the sense of having a mission, not just a hobby.

Ritterhoff recalled the story to Living on Earth of his co-founder, Rudy Reyes, who struggled assimilating to civilian life after six combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. After a recreational dive in the Cayman Islands in 2015, Reyes looked at Ritterhoff and asked, “Did you see that fish?” Ritterhoff , who is an experienced diver but not a veteran, was shocked. “What are you talking about? There’s a million fish. That’s the whole point of it.”

But these divers had never seen a fish on their dives. They are used to diving in the middle of the night to destroy a target or rescue someone while hauling hundreds of pounds of gear. Now they get to see the ocean environments in the light of day and see it from the lens of preserving and restoring the ecosystems that live there.

“You get these guys down there, and it’s like opening a whole new world to them, and the sense of wonder and awe that they had — they were just like little kids experiencing something they’d never had before,” Ritterhoff said. “You just see these guys get back to who they were.”

And these divers have a unique position to bring the message of ocean conservation back to their communities.

“Our guys aren’t going to stop ocean acidification or rising temperatures or some of the real underlying causes of what’s happening to our oceans,” Ritterhoff said. “But what they can do is be a megaphone to reach people who otherwise aren’t getting the message about what’s happening to our planet. People who are not going to listen to another climate change scientist talk about global warming will go, oh, Navy SEALs, recon Marines, these guys are my heroes, right? We hope that that’s a way to get a whole other section of the population engaged in at least understanding. We always say, hey, we don’t care if you get on the boat from the left side or the right side, we’re all in the same boat.”

This article was written Kailey Thompson and originally ran in The Veterans Edition of the Goodnewspaper.

You can now read it on the all-new Good Good Good website.

The Veterans Edition of the Goodnewspaper is a special edition of Good Good Good’s newspaper. It’s focused on celebrating veterans doing good and people doing good for veterans.

You can order The Veterans Edition of the Goodnewspaper here or subscribe to future Goodnewspapers here.

Veteran Homelessness Has Decreased By Nearly 50 Percent Since 2009

These Combat Diving Veterans Are Now Using Their Skills to Restore Ocean Health was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Through the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, many veterans have connected with rapid re-housing, a bridge from homelessness to permanent housing in which housing is offered quickly, with temporary financial support and case management, and without conditions such as employment, income, absence of a criminal record, or sobriety. In 2015 alone, the SSVF program helped nearly 100,000 veterans and about 35,000 children remain in their homes or quickly exit homelessness, according to NAEH.

Through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, many veterans have also been able to find permanent supportive housing. Since 2008, more than 114,000 homeless veterans have been served through the program, according to NAEH.

Certain communities are seeing veteran homelessness become a thing of the past entirely. The entire states of Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, and Virginia have effectively ended homelessness among veterans. And in February 2019, officials from Abilene, Texas announced they had ended veteran homelessness in their community, too, making it the ninth city in the country to reach that goal through a national initiative called Built for Zero. The program works with a data-forward approach that helps officials track people experiencing homelessness through a visual dashboard.

“It basically just forced us to continuously look to change improvements to our system and how to use real-time data to improve our performance,” said John Meier, the program manager for supportive services for veteran families for the West Central Texas Regional Foundation, to Fast Company. “We’ve always had lots of data sitting around but haven’t had it in one place and [haven’t been] utilizing it to our advantage.”

By working with the data, the city of Abilene shrunk the average time to house a veteran from 40 days to 26.

Many cities and organizations point to a lack of resources to combat veteran homelessness, but the case in many communities is the right resources exist and can be mobilized with a strategic approach.

You can now read this story on the all-new Good Good Good website.

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Veteran Homelessness Has Decreased By Nearly 50 Percent Since 2009 was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Sonia Elks

LONDON, April 5 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) — Elton John has launched a $1 million emergency fund to help organisations working with people living with HIV or AIDS so they are not “left behind” during the coronavirus crisis.

With the coronavirus pandemic putting pressure on health systems globally, the British musician said the Elton John AIDS Foundation would give cash to organisations for solutions to keep HIV and AIDS care up and running.

“Distributing medicines, testing and preventative treatment is not as simple as it was a few weeks ago,” Elton John, 73, said in a video from his home in Los Angeles posted on Twitter to announce the initiative.

“So our new COVID-19 emergency fund will help frontline partners to prepare for and respond to the pandemic and its effects on HIV prevention and care for the most marginalised communities.”

While the new coronavirus is not considered a threat to HIV-positive people who are on medication, it could pose a higher risk to those who have weakened immune systems or are unaware of their status, health experts and campaigners have warned.

The singer’s non-profit said it would fund solutions for “specific challenges” facing people with or at risk of HIV/AIDS who now face additional threats from coronavirus.

Reporting by Sonia Elks @soniaelks; Editing by Belinda Goldsmith and Hugo Greenhalgh of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit news.trust.org

Elton John launches fund for HIV/AIDS work amid coronavirus was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Good News: Someone escapes from poverty every second

Plus more good news from around the world…

Every week the Goodnewsletter shares a weekly roundup of good news stories with 13,000+ subscribers. This week we’re sharing them on Medium too. Get fresh good news delivered to your inbox every Tuesday by signing up here.

Here’s this week in good news:

JANUARY 14TH, 2020

Sydney Opera House lights up with images of firefighters in support of Australia’s bushfire crisis

The projections, which began [on January 11th], are a tribute to the firefighters and communities who have suffered through months of searing temperatures and smoke.

Tens of millions of dollars have been raised for affected communities, with the bushfire crisis reaching international attention. (9News Australia)

Someone escapes from poverty every second

Poverty Clock visualizes the approximate state of world poverty in real time, showing one person escaping from extreme poverty every second. It estimates where each person moving out of poverty lives (Indonesia, India, Algeria…) and what their gender might be, using statistical averages.

The visualization also shows the rate at which people fall into extreme poverty. Happily, the number escaping poverty dwarfs the number falling into it. (HumanProgress)

JetBlue plans to go completely carbon neutral on all U.S. flights

JetBlue announced this week that it plans to go carbon-neutral on all domestic flights starting in July, a first for a major U.S. airline.

The company’s plan involves both taking steps to reduce its flights’ overall carbon emissions and increasing its investment in carbon offsets, which are environmental projects that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

“Air travel connects people and cultures, and supports a global economy, yet we must act to limit this critical industry’s contributions to climate change,” chief executive Robin Hayes said in a statement. “We reduce where we can and offset where we can’t. By offsetting all of our domestic flying, we’re preparing our business for the lower-carbon economy that aviation — and all sectors — must plan for.” (The Washington Post)

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We love this photo & caption from @kadeykia: “My favorite things? Fridays, pizza, and good news!🤪 Which I think we all could use after this week. Fires, earthquakes, plane crashes and fears of war- it’s a lot to handle. And while it’s important not to ignore these issues, it is possible to find balance in what kind of media we consume. There is good news out there!! I promise.”

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More Good News

Leonardo DiCaprio rescued a man from drowning after hearing a distress call while on his yacht (Barstool Sports)

Iowa woman who fostered more than 600 children says she loved them ‘like they were my own’ (CNN)

Oslo recorded zero cycling and pedestrian fatalities in 2019 and U.S. cities can learn from its example. (Streetsblog)

Second U.S. baby to be born from a dead donor’s uterus is delivered (The New York Times)

Editorial: Important lessons for Philadelphia from Chicago’s three-year decline in gun violence (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

Comic: I can’t fix the global waste problem, but here are small steps I am taking to be more sustainable (The Lily)

Trumpet made of AR-15 shells helps heal survivors of gun violence through music (WBAL)

Lawyer portrayed in ‘Just Mercy’ wants film to inspire change (WBUR)

Book Review: You’re not going to kill them with kindness. You’ll do just the opposite. (The New York Times)

U.S. government support for UNICEF grows (UNICEF USA)

Obituary: Overlooked no more: Margaret McFarland, mentor to Mister Rogers (The New York Times)

U.S. cancer death rates are dropping at the fastest pace on record (Bloomberg)

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The Goodnewsletter is created by Good Good Good. Subscribe today to join 13,000+ people who get good news in their inbox every Tuesday.

Good Good Good shares stories and tools designed to leave you feeling less overwhelmed, and more capable of being a part of the good in the world.

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Weekly Good News Roundup: January 14th, 2020 was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Every week the Goodnewsletter shares a weekly roundup of good news stories with 13,000+ subscribers. This week we’re sharing them on Medium too. Get fresh good news delivered to your inbox every Tuesday by signing up here.

Here’s this week in good news:

THE WEEK OF JANUARY 4TH, 2020

Beautiful gestures: the good news stories coming out of Australia’s bushfires

Australians are banding together to offer accommodation, food, medicine and funds for firefighters. (The Guardian)

Steve Irwin’s family helping to save animals in Australian wildfires

When Australian animal expert Steve Irwin died in 2006, he left behind a zoo, a legacy of helping wildlife, and a caring family that shared his passion. Irwin’s widow, Terri, took over the Australia Zoo in Queensland when he passed away, and his family announced this week the animal hospital there treated its 90,000th patient. (CBS News)

Livestreams are the new telethons, and they’re raising millions for charities

The rise of video game streaming in the last several years has opened up a new avenue for philanthropy. Streamers and charity organizations routinely partner up to solicit donations from the gamer’s thousands of loyal viewers. Instead of calling in like participants did for telethons, viewers funnel donations through a digital pipeline that makes the fundraising process instantaneous. Streamers hold auctions, hand out prizes, and incentivize viewers to donate with different reward tiers. The streams often involve the host playing video games for hours on end.

“Digital telethons” have become so popular that the community around Twitch, the world’s leading live-streaming platform, collectively raised more than $75 million for varying charities between 2012 and 2017, according to the company. (Twitch is owned by Amazon, whose CEO, Jeff Bezos, owns The Washington Post.) Events like the video game speedrunning marathon series Games Done Quick, which supports Doctors Without Borders and Prevent Cancer Foundation, has raised over $22.3 million since its inception in 2010. (The Washington Post)

Your guide to making a difference for Australia

How to help the humans affected by the Australian bushfires…

How to help the wildlife affected by the Australian bushfires…

How to help a planet affected by the Australian bushfires…

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More Good News

Zoo director takes monkeys and pandas home to save them from deadly wildfires (The Washington Post)

NYC fire commissioner Nigro announces fire deaths dropped 25 percent in 2019 (NYC.gov)

This teacher in India started bussing students to school so they don’t drop out (Good Good Good)

A model raised $500,000 for Australia wildfire relief by sending nude photos to donors, she says (The Washington Post)

River Falls, Wisconsin hits green milestone, switching to 100 percent renewable energy for city buildings (TwinCities.com)

Pay is rising fastest for low earners. One reason? Minimum wages. (The New York Times)

An Uber driver got a college degree after one of her passengers wiped out her debt (CNN)

Australian Muslims join Christians in a public prayer for rain in bushfire and drought-ravaged areas (Daily Mail)

She never attended a university, but her estate will give nearly $10 million to community colleges (The Washington Post)

On eve of legal recreational pot sales in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker pardons more than 11,000 people with weed convictions (Chicago Tribune)

Pizza shop gives its employees all of the profits from Christmas Day (Today)

Dads are much more involved in child care than they were 50 years ago. (Pew Research Center)

Bill Gates wants to reinvent the toilet (Good Good Good)

American Girl’s 2020 girl of the year is 1st doll with hearing loss (Good Morning America)

China’s inland surface water quality significantly improves (Phys.org)

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Good Good Good shares stories and tools designed to leave you feeling less overwhelmed, and more capable of being a part of the good in the world.

We also create a weekly podcast and a physical newspaper called the Goodnewspaper.

Weekly Good News Roundup: January 4th, 2020 was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A devastating smallpox outbreak killed an estimated 400,000 people across Europe in the 18th century, including several reigning monarchs. Of those who contracted the disease at the time, about 30 percent died and one-third went blind.

Before he became the Russian Emperor, Peter III caught the airborne virus and was left scarred and disfigured. His wife, Catherine the Great, managed to dodge the disease but was deeply affected by the toll it took on her husband. Catherine became Empress of Russia after her husband was overthrown and took action because she feared for the safety of her son and her subjects.

The earliest method to prevent smallpox was inoculation (also known as variolation), which worked by provoking a mild form of the disease in a healthy person. Catherine invited Dr. Thomas Dimsdale from Scotland to perform inoculation on herself, her son, and her court to set an example to the Russian people that the procedure was safe.

The doctor was unsure whether smallpox would behave the same in Russia as it did in Western Europe, so he encouraged the Empress to allow commoners to try the procedure first, but she insisted. Her decision to be inoculated was controversial, but it was a success. She developed a mild case that lasted just over two weeks and then was healthy.

She sought to have her entire empire inoculated. Catherine is quoted as saying, “My objective was, through my example, to save from death the multitude of my subjects who, not knowing the value of this technique, and frightened of it, were left in danger.”

By 1800, about 2 million inoculations were administered in the Russian Empire. Thanks to Catherine’s willingness to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of inoculation, millions of lives were saved.

In the same period, a doctor named Ed- ward Jenner discovered a safer and more reliable technique than inoculation, which led to the first modern vaccine. He induced immunity into patients by exposing them to smallpox’s related but harmless disease, cowpox.

His findings on vaccinations were initially met with opposition, but Jenner’s vaccination technique gradually replaced inoculation, which was later prohibited in Europe. Smallpox vaccinations were made compulsory in England and Wales 30 years after he died. Because of Jenner’s innovation and commitment to scientific breakthrough, we now have the many vaccines that stemmed from his initial work in the second half of the 18th century.

Together, Russia’s longest-ruling female leader and Jenner helped kickstart a method that created smallpox immunity. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed more than 40 years ago, and the World Health Organization certified that the disease was globally eradicated in 1980. We have Jenner — and those who came after him — to thank for the accessibility to life-saving vaccines available today.

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Good News In History: Catherine the Great Got the Smallpox Vaccine to Prove Its Safety to Her… was originally published in Good Good Good on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.