Tuesday's bite sized chunks of good news.
In good news for motorists and wild animals, the reintroduction of wolves in Michigan has reduced vehicle deer collisions by 25 percent. Why? When wolves return to an area, they keep the deer populations at stable levels, in turn providing benefits for entire ecosystems and the humans that drive through them.
In Austin, Texas, a place that is both parched and forward-thinking, the city council approved an incentive program that offers large building managers money if they can reuse their air-conditioning condensate, graywater, or rainwater for onsite non-potable needs. Bloomberg reports that between two buildings, the 56-story Austonian residential skyscraper, and the Austin Central Library (pictured), their water recycling methods save the city nearly 400,000 gallons of water per year.
Britain’s vaccine-powered economy will outpace all other major rich nations this year, surging up the OECD’s rankings for 2021. GDP is set to grow by 7.2pc this year, the think tank said, ahead even of the US where Joe Biden’s unprecedented spending plans are expected to propel the expansion to 6.9pc. It is a sharp upgrade from the 5.1pc predicted back in March. This puts the UK ahead of global growth of 5.8pc, the eurozone’s 4.3pc and the 5.3pc predicted across the OECD as a whole, which encompasses 37 largely wealthy countries.
Following similar, successful, cases elsewhere, Guyanese citizens are challenging ExxonMobil's offshore drilling on climate grounds. The case is the first in the Caribbean to challenge fossil fuel production on climate and human rights grounds.
Raise a glass to Laurence des Cars, who will soon become the first woman to head up Paris' famed Musée du Louvre in its 228 year history. As the current director of the Musée de l'Orangerie and the Musée d'Orsay, des Car has championed the social role of art. Under her leadership, the Orsay held an acclaimed 2019 exhibition on representations of Black female figures in 19th century Western painting. In March, the Orsay was also the first French museum to voluntarily restitute a painting looted by the Nazis. She'll take her place as the new president-director this September.
A group of Muslims, Jews, and Christians joined together to lay the foundation stone for a centre that will house places of worship for each religion in a symbol of interfaith dialogue in the German capital. Days after protests in Berlin over the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza, and at a time when politicians are warning of rising anti-Semitism in Germany, the 'House of One' offers a beacon of hope for dialogue, said its founders.
EU plans to lift Covid quarantine rules for vaccinated from 1 July. Deadline set for all 27 EU countries to accept digital passport in time to enjoy a ‘safe and relaxing summer’.
At first glance, Edward Martell, a 27-year-old high school dropout with an extensive arrest record might not have seemed a prime candidate for rehabilitation, but when he was facing a 20 year drug conviction, instead of meting out the maximum sentence, presiding judge Bruce Morrow gave Martell probation - and a challenge. Morrow told Martell the next time he stepped into the courtroom, he expected him to have made something of himself - something big. “It was kind of in jest,” Morrow recalled in an interview with The Washington Post, “but he understood I believed he could be anything he wanted to be.” Fast forward 16 years and Martell is standing in front of Judge Morrow again - only this time, he’s being sworn in as an attorney after passing the Michigan state bar. Hats off to both of them!
Dive in Deeper
Night skies
The Atacama desert is home to one of the darkest and cleanest skies in the world. Take a look via this glorious 5 minute movie.