Good News Tuesday: Australia’s Helpers, New Zealand’s Assault Weapon Ban, State Steps for the Planet, and We are More Alike than Different

Seeking Balance One Tuesday at a Time

Helpers in Australia

The fires in Australia are horrific. Today I want to hold up the helpers. Please join me in praying for their strength and safety and for a steady rain to fall over the fires.

Teams of firefighters and volunteers from all over the world are being deployed to fight bush fires in Australia like these  US and Canadian teams .

The Guardian has collected several good stories about generous helpers  in Australia. This link will take you to “Beautiful Gestures.”

The good news for this koala starts at 28 seconds into the video.

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New Zealand’s Ban on Assault Weapons

Independent reports more than 50,000 guns were turned in after New Zealand banned assault weapons.  The ban of lethal semi-automatic weapons was implemented after 51worshippers at two were murdered in March.

The six month buy back program ended in December, “with gun collection events staying open late as police reported in a last-minute surge.”

Provisional figures indicate 33,000 people handed in 51,000 guns, and another 5,000 weapons as part of a parallel amnesty in which owners could hand over any type of firearm without any questions being asked but without getting compensated.

Read Independent article here.

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Maine Bans Styrofoam & Oregon Gives Up Plastic bags

Maine has become the first US state to ban styrofoam (plastic foam) containers that take almost forever to break down. When this material does break down it turns into smaller plastic foam pieces that are dangerous to wildlife. The material is rarely recycled. The law goes into effect next year.  Read more here.

As of January 1st, Oregon has given up single use plastic bags! (Just one more reason for Oregon to be on my bucket list.) Here’s more on that story.

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We Are More Alike than Different

The Correspondent article below explores shows how we agree more than disagree.

“Driving our feelings of polarisation are what we might call the “antisocial media”: a continuous stream of contentious reporting and trending topics, consumed and shared by the groups with the loudest – and most extreme – opinions.”

….”Nearly 80% of Americans are in favour of higher taxes for the rich, two-thirds want the government to do more to combat climate change and conserve the environment, and roughly the same number say that immigrants strengthen society – twice as many as 25 years ago.”

  Rob Wijnberg

Read more here.

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Please feel free to share your good news in the comments!

Good News Tuesday: Redirecting Unused Food, Dissection Alternatives, Helping Koalas, and New Zealand’s Legislation for the Planet

Seeking Balance One Tuesday at a Time

 

Italian Law Directs Wasted Food to the Hungry

Global Citizen reports that Italy has passed a law to send unsold food to charities.  It’s shameful how much food is thrown away when so many people are hungry. The article gives example of how much of the food thrown away is edible:

“….if white rice is mis-labeled basmati rice, it’s food waste. If a vegetable is misshapen it’s food waste. If a cereal box has a tear, food waste. A can with a ripped label also food waste. A bruised fruit, yup, food waste.”

While some countries impose penalties for wasted food, Italy is providing incentives.

You can read more about Italy’s initiative here.

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Realistic Replica Can Save Frogs from Dissection

SynDaver—the world’s leading manufacturer of hyper-realistic, synthetic human and animal surgical trainers has created a realistic enough non-living frog model for dissection. Despite the replica being more expensive than a real frog, its synthetic tissues are reusable and free of harmful chemicals like formaldehyde. At least 3 million frogs are killed annually in the name of educational dissection. Isn’t it time we moved toward more humane educational pursuits?

If you’d like to read more about this innovation, click here for the Good News Network article.

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Helping Koalas and Kangaroos in Australia

A group of Dutch quilters making mittens for koalas and pouches for kangaroos suffering from fires in Australia. The mittens and pouches must be made entirely of cotton. Here’s the story from SBS  Dutch.

Other good news within this terrible fire, is that $1,705,390 has been raised to help animals in Australia. Here’s a link to the fundraiserfor the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.  THANK YOU to all the helpers!

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New Zealand Commits to Becoming Carbon Neutral by 2050

“In a historic show of bipartisan agreement” New Zealand passed a new law that will require the nation to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.  The Good News Network provides details, and Prime Minister, Jacinda Arden, inspires:

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Got good news?

Please share in the comments!

 

Good News Tuesday: Students Rising Above & Helpers in New Zealand

8 Year Old Refugee Living in a Homeless Shelter wins NY Chess Championship

Eight year old Tanitoluwa Adewumi, who goes by Tani, won the New York state championship for his age level. He started playing chess about a year ago in school. Tani and his parents are refugees from Nigeria and live in a homeless shelter in New York. Both of his parents are now working, and one of Tani’s chess coaches has started a gofundme page to help them get a house.  You can read more about Tani and his family here.

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Students Strike for the Planet

I’m filled with hope by so many young people around the world striking on behalf of the planet this past Friday. The first video is an in depth report from Australia. The second is more of an overview.

16 Year Old Planet Activist Nominated for Nobel Prize

Greta Thunberg, the 16 year old activist from Sweden has inspired thousands of students around the world to strike for the planet, has been nominated for the Nobel Prize. In August of 2018, Greta started the first school strike for climate. In December, she addressed the UN Climate Change Conference. Recently, Greta became the youngest person to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.  Until I watched her Ted Talk, I didn’t know she has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. She is intensely honest. Greta plans to strike from school “every Friday until Sweden is in line with the Paris Agreement.” Personally, she has stopped flying, stopped eating meat and dairy, and she does not buy new things unless it’s absolutely necessary

“The one thing we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere.” __ Greta Thunberg

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Look for the Helpers

The news from Christchurch New Zealand was horrible.  My goal is to remember those 50 people who lost their lives, find a way to honor them, and recognize those who’ve come to help. In my Goodnewsletter this morning, I found 12 stories of hope about the helpers – people who have rallied to help the victims of this tragedy.  Here are a few of those stories:

More than $3.5 million donated in 24 hours to help Christchurch shooting victims

Within hours of the Christchurch mosque attacks, people of various faiths rallied around Muslims

New Zealand will pay for Christchurch victims’ funerals regardless of immigration status
Survivor says ‘hero’ stopped New Zealand massacre by tackling shooter

You can sign up for the Goodnewsletter here.

#GoodNewsTuesday seeds to bring balance to media – One Tuesday at a time.

Got good news? Please share in the comments!