Eclectic bundle of uplifting news nuggets to ensure the weekend gets off to a sunny start.
Wildlife Recovery
The number of endangered elephants, rhinos and other animals in Uganda's reserves is steadily improving, reversing years of declines caused by poachers and conflict, says the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The population of northern white and eastern black rhinos, that was wiped out in the early 1980s by people hunting for their horns, has grown back to 32 since a charity brought in four in 2005, reports Reuters. Thanks to increased conservation efforts, the number of buffalos increased 77% to 44,163 between 1983 and 2021, while elephants tripled to 7,975 over the same period. There has also been an increase in the number of mountain gorillas in dense forests in the southwest, says the UWA, bringing a boost to the tourism industry.
Coronation Concert
There are 5,000 pairs of tickets up for grabs in the online ballot for the Coronation Concert for King Charles III at Windsor Castle on 7 May, and they will not be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. UK residents just need to apply before 28 February. Apply here
Good Karma
A delightful story from northern Ontario saw a 5-year-old girl’s good Karma wait 13 years to reward her. Juliette Lamour won the state’s second-largest lottery jackpot in history, CAD$48 million, on her first-ever try. Local news from her home city of Sault Saint Marie revealed a touching side of the story - that at 5 years old Lamour made a very big act of charity, and the suggestion that her generosity has been rewarded is impossible to resist making. It was 2010 and the island nation of Haiti had just been ravaged by an earthquake. So, sweet natured Juliette emptied the entire contents of her piggy bank - about $15 - and donated it to the relief efforts. And, as they say, one good turn deserves another!
Bucket List
When her brother David found their father's bucket list in a brown suede pouch in 2016, 13 years after he died, Laura Carney set out to complete it. There were 54 unfinished tasks left on the 60-item list written in 1978, the year she was born. She has now checked off the last item - "have five songs recorded" - and in the process got to know her dad in a way she never thought she would. "It helped me understand him better, to see him as a full human being instead of just my embarrassing dad. And doing that helped me to understand myself." She chronicled the journey in an upcoming memoir, My Father's List, and has written her own bucket list.
Chicago Goes All In
The Windy City is going big on solar to meet sustainability goals. Mayor Lori Lightfoot says that Chicago will run all operations with renewable energy by 2025, making it one one of the largest cities in the country to do so. The city has signed an energy supply agreement valued up to $422 million to purchase renewable energy like solar and wind power for all city-run buildings, like airports, libraries, and water treatment plants. The plan is formed around four main goals: improving community health, increasing household savings, advancing environmental justice, and reducing carbon pollution. Chicago is working towards retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient and plans for the city’s bus fleet to be 100% electric by 2040.
World’s First Climate Change University: Black Mountains College in Wales is currently recruiting students for its BA in Sustainable Futures due to launch in September 2023. More...
Jupiter Takes Crown
Astronomers discovered 12 additional moons of Jupiter, raising its total number of known natural satellites to 92. The gas giant now holds the record for the most known moons of any planet in the solar system - for the time being, at least. Saturn is the current runner-up with 83 known moons, and prior to this discovery, it had been the reigning leader for moon count since 2019.
Zero-Fare Buses
Washington, D.C., has enacted a zero-fare bus bill into law. The policy eliminates the $2 fare for all the city’s buses starting this summer. It's the largest American city to institute a fare-free transit system and part of a growing movement nationwide to get people out of their cars.
Simple CO2 Emission Comparison: Image that depicts the emission difference between traveling by fossil-fuel car, electric car and electric bus. Take a look...
EU Green Deal
The European Union will invest more than $270 billion in its own “green deal” in order to keep up with the United States and China. Many observers interpreted the move as a direct response to the Biden administration’s hefty round of green subsidies, which were included in the Inflation Reduction Act. The announcement was made last week by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who dubbed the bundle of initiatives The Green Deal Industrial Plan.
“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”
Henri Matisse
On this Day
11 February 1858: In Lourdes, France, 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous, a miller's daughter, first had visions of the Virgin Mary that were authenticated by Pope Pius IX in 1862, initiating the cult of Our Lady of Lourdes.
It's 6 months since Joe Biden’s landmark climate bill became law, and it has lead to a boom in new US clean energy jobs and massive investments. Read on...
With up to 20 hours of darkness a day, staying positive during these cold months is challenging but the Swedish tradition of 'Little Saturday' is a big help. Read on...
Mood Booster
New trailer for Mission Impossible 7 - Dead Reckoning Part One has just been released.