Today's collection of positive news snippets.
We liked this short, heart-warming post on reddit: "I was having a bad day and this dog walked up to me at the bus stop, sat on the bench and asked me for pets. I'm now having a good day."
E-Waste reborn as jewellery: Gadgets that we throw away, like cell phones and computers, are a rich source of precious metals. Over $50 billion per year! What if this precious waste could be sustainably salvaged and recycled back into the economy? This is the vision of New Zealand start-up Mint Innovation.
Good news for common sense and hopefully the start of a global trend: French lawmakers have just voted to abolish domestic flights on routes than can be covered by train in under two-and-a-half hours, as the government seeks to lower carbon emissions. Environmentalists had campaigned for it to cover 4 hour journey times; but, at least, it's a positive start.
Solar communities: The city of Bath was founded by the Romans in the first century AD to take advantage of its thermal waters, now a community of entrepreneurs are clubbing together to generate clean energy through the warmth of the sun.
20-year-old Ryan Lowry will soon graduate from high school, so he decided to take on his job search in a unique way by posting a heartwarming handwritten letter on LinkedIn. He explained that he has autism and will need a mentor but that he is also a quick learner. His honest letter got people’s attention and job offers started to pour in. Ryan also received a scholarship to Exceptional Minds, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit. He dreams of working in animation, so that's why he chose the Exceptional Minds‘ program as it's designed to teach people with autism about animation.
Since conservation efforts began in 1983, green and loggerhead turtle nest counts have increased by 162 percent and 46 percent respectively in less than two decades on North Cyprus in the Mediterranean.
Global, fairer corporate tax: Joe Biden plans to force big companies to pay taxes where their revenues are earned, not where the profits can be shifted to.
Random act of kindness: Former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal pays off engagement ring for man at jewelry store. Shaq said: "So I was in Zales, looking for some loop earrings and I seen the guy come in and he was just so shy and he was saying to the manager, 'Hey, how much do I still owe to pay off my ring?' So I said, 'Tell your girlfriend I got it. I'll take care of it.' At first, he didn't want to take it and said 'I can't do that' so I said 'Don't worry about it.' I'm just trying to make people smile, that's all."
Covid third wave no longer expected in the summer, UK government advisers admit, backtracking on their earlier overly pessimistic modelling. Researchers from Edinbugh University also say that sunlight exposure may cause the skin to release nitric oxide which reduces the ability of coronavirus to replicate. Roll on the summer! Meanwhile, all over-50s and high-risk groups in the UK have been offered a coronavirus vaccine a few days before the mid-April deadline set by the government – meaning the second phase of the rollout to younger cohorts can now begin.
Shameless mood-boosting animal video: Watch six labrador puppies managing to squeze in together in a small bowl. It's adora-bowl!