Hope For The Planet

Determined Scientists Created Only Puffin Colony in the US, and Continue to Protect it Decades Later - Good News Network For 50 years, the state of Maine has drawn worldwide attention for its efforts to restore a puffin colony, an effort that has brought controversy, hope, and a cottage industry you have to see to belie...

From hand-rearing puffins at the last abandoned colony to handcrafting bird decoys (that have now been used in over 800 other conservation projects) to discourage aggressive species, this is a really incredible story! Fifty years and hundreds of puffins still nest here! #goodnews

UNESCO Adds an Area the Size of Bolivia to Reserves That Protect 5% of the World's Land The Reserves are governed in a way that Man and the biosphere he needs to survive can do so for as long as we humans live on this planet.

"Much like the way UNESCO nominates places to become World Heritage Sites, the organization’s Man and Biosphere Program nominates UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. The network of these areas has now grown to 785 sites in 142 countries, totaling 5% of the planet’s landmass." #goodnews #environment

There’s hope for sunflower sea stars, with their killer unmasked and reintroductions pending There’s hope for an iconic ocean predator that has mostly disappeared from California’s coastlines: the sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides). The population began to plummet in 2013, followin...

I wanted to add that researchers have figured out how to breed sunflower stars in human care for the first time, and there are now reintroductions planned. I can't overemphasize how amazing this work is. Sunflower stars previously lost 99% of their range to sea star wasting disease #goodnews

And here's the largest CO2 emitting sector by state. It's only recently that transportation has been the biggest emitter in the majority of states. These are places where the grid has been cleaned up enough that fuel for cars, trucks, and airplanes are the biggest source of emissions.

Adding some more graphs from this report. Here's the full list of state by state rankings

Per Capita Energy-Related CO2 Emissions Decreased in Every US State between 2005 & 2023 - CleanTechnica Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. Per capita CO2 emissions from primary energy consumption decreased in every state from 2005 to 2023, according to recently…

"Total energy-related CO2 emissions in the United States fell 20% over that time, and the population grew by 14%, leading to a 30% decrease in per capita CO2 emissions." This change was primarily due to coal generation being replaced by natural gas and especially solar and wind. #climatechange

Your body was not designed to swallow the whole planet’s screams but the answer isn’t to unplug completely, now that we can hear her crying out day after day, the answer is not to shut out the noise, but to save her

"Rest. But rest so you can rise again. Resist despair. But resist it by remembering that your role is not to hold the whole planet together, it is to do your part with courage. Do not run from the scream. Face it with others. Transform it into the courage that will save her." #words #climatechange

French startup promises more EVs, fewer mines by pulling metals from DAISIES Researchers in the US and abroad believe we could help decarbonize and electrify the transportation sector with hardy, fast-growing plants.

These GM plants turbocharge the natural process of drawing minerals from the soil to the point that they could be used to mine metals like nickel that are crucial for the clean energy transition. Wouldn't it be amazing to live in a world where a mine looks like a field of flowers? #goodnews

California’s first solar-covered canal is now fully online The 1.6-megawatt pilot system is among a growing number of initiatives to put solar over waterways. The approach could generate gigawatts of power nationwide.

California's first solar-covered canal, and the second solar-covered canal in the US, just started working. Building solar panels over canals cools panels, reduces water loss from evaporation, and avoids developing additional land. #climatechange #goodnews

It's Bulletproof, Fire-Resistant, and Stronger than Steel. It's Superwood Waste wood scraps, changed at the molecular level, could become heavy-duty building materials—and even replace...

Superwood--a new type of wood product made from softwood scraps--shows properties that could allow it to replace carbon-hungry materials like steel and concrete in buildings.

China for First Time Promises to Reduce Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The world's current largest emitter has made its first concrete pledge to lower carbon emissions--after achieving it's previous goals to stop increasing emissions and add 1,200 gigawatts of clean energy 5 years ahead of schedule #climatechange

Citizen Scientists' Makeshift 'Coffee Filter Arks' Help Prevent These Sparrows Chicks from Drowning Coastal development has seen the sparrows move to lower-lying marshes like Jacob's Point which are routinely flooded by high tides.

By adding coffee filter arks underneath saltmarsh sparrow nests, this citizen science initiative has decreased the rate of nest drowning by 10%. They also monitor the birds, data that could potentially help in the sparrows' eventual case to receive legal protection under the ESA #goodnews

You Can Now Lease an EV for Less Than $100 a Month Before federal incentives expire, EV makers are rushing to grab customers with affordable leasing deals.

The rush to lease EVs before US tax incentives run out is leading to incredible deals that are persuading even EV skeptics to try them. A 2024 study found only 1 in 10 folks will go back to gas cars after trying an EV. This temporary boom may turn out to be a big boost for US EV adoption

Building roofs in New York City are primarily painted white/silver to reflect sunlight and cool the city; there are also many green roofs covered in vegetation and roofs with solar panels. New laws mandate solar panels or green roofs on all new and renovated buildings.

This US city is the first to plant green roofs on bus stops: 'Would amount to 17 acres of green space' These “living roofs” are already inspiring other North American cities.

Green roofs help mitigate the urban heat island effect and flooding caused by pavement, as well as providing food and habitat for native pollinators. While common in Europe, Boston is the first US city to implement them (though there are plans in several others). #goodnews

Fire intensity is increasing in North and South America due to land management/climate change--but the high profile super intense fires in the news make up only 5% of burned land and >1% of human impact. Most fires and fire impact occur in Africa, where burned land is decreasing

Wildfire disasters are increasingly in the news, yet less land is burning globally—here's why Worldwide, an estimated 440 million people were exposed to a wildfire encroaching on their home at some point between 2002 and 2021, new research shows. That's roughly equivalent to the entire populat...

The amount of land burned by wildfire has decreased 26% in the last 19 years. Globally, perception and impact of wildfires is increasing largely because we are moving closer to where fires happen, not because more land is burning #climatechange

🤔Which country is growing the fastest?

🇨🇳China. They have installed more than twice as much solar as the rest of the world combined.

🧐Who came in second and third?

🇮🇳India and then the United States.

ember-energy.org/latest-updat...

📈☀️The Daily Dose via @ember-energy.org 📈☀️

In the first six months of 2025, the world added 380 GW of new solar capacity, which is 64% higher than the year before.

For the first time in over a century, sockeye salmon are able to return to Okanagan Lake | CBC News After more than a century without salmon in Okanagan waters, a new fish passageway means that salmon and numerous other fish species will be able to migrate upstream to spawn.

A fish passageway built by the Syilx Nation will allow salmon and trout to migrate to Okanagan Lake for the first time in 100 years, passing through nine hydroelectric dams to get there. #conservation #goodnews

A strategic solar energy boom is afoot in Eastern Europe Against the spectre of Russian aggression, renewables are in

Eastern Europe has seen a massive boom in solar, partially due to the strategic advantages of renewables. Many countries have seen a 5x solar increase in 5 years and some are approaching meeting 50% of their energy needs with solar in the summer #climatechange #solarenergy

‘The forgotten forest’: how smashing 5.6m urchins saved a California kelp paradise Pollution, warm oceans and hungry urchins devastated Pacific kelp. Now, thanks to divers with hammers, one of the world’s most successful rehabilitation projects has helped it rebound

"Pollution, warm oceans and hungry urchins devastated Pacific kelp. Now, thanks to divers with hammers, one of the world’s most successful rehabilitation projects has helped it rebound." #goodnews #environment

Paris reopens River Seine to public swimming after century-long ban About 1,000 swimmers a day will be allowed to use three bathing sites after €1.4bn clean-up programme

May future generations swimming in the Seine someday be shocked that for 100 years it was so polluted that people were disgusted at the idea of swimming there #rivercleanup #pollution #goodnews

A new report shows that the EU has overshot all 2016 air pollution targets and is making good progress on 2030 targets. These reductions in sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and fine particles will have measurable health and environmental impacts. #airpollution #goodnews

Encouraging Harpy Eagle range-edge breeding records Juvenile Harpy Eagles have been seen in Mexico and Argentina for the first time in decades, signalling potential breeding at the edges of their historical range. These rare observations offer hope for...

Over the last few years, juvenile harpy eagles have been spotted in both Mexico and Argentina. These countries are on the absolute edges of the species' historical range, where active breeding activity had not been observed in over two decades. #conservation #hope #goodnews

From Gridlock to Greenlight: The Secret Behind New York’s Congestion Pricing Success New York’s congestion pricing program is up, running, and working. But how did it get passed in the first place? What can advocates do to protect this climate and public health progress? And what can…

NYC's congestion pricing has reduced air pollution, noise pollution, crime, and car crash injuries after just a few months. Commute times are faster, businesses are doing better, and public transit ridership is up. The money raised is being used to fund public transit improvements.

Maldives coral reef restoration takes pioneering step forwards - Oceanographic Coral restoration in the Maldives takes pioneering leap forwards thanks to groundbreaking project with Australian Institute of Marine Science

The portable ReefSeed system allows coral aquaculture and restoration to happen even in remote underwater locations. So far it has been used to rear more than 10,000 juvenile coral. #coralconservation #hope

Arizona Suburb Turned into Mediterranean-style Walking Town Where Temperatures Stay Low - Good News Network A planned community in Arizona has used time-honored Mediterranean strategies to keep temperatures down and attitudes high. Western civilization has grown remarkably climate conscious over the last 20...

In this Arizona suburb designed to maximize shade, airflow, and community the ground temperatures are 50-60 °F cooler than surrounding areas. Climate conscious urban planning can make a huge difference to quality of life in a warming world. #urbanplanning #climatechange

One Midwest state is making ‘rewilding’ an official conservation strategy A new law in Illinois formalizes efforts to reintroduce native keystone species like bison and beavers in the state, which advocates say will help other species recover.

"An example of rewilding is occurring in the northern part of the state in Rockford, where the Severson Dells Nature Center is working to transform a former golf course into 170 acres of prairie, forest and wetland habitats." #rewilding #goodnews #habitatrestoration

YouTube video by TEDx Talks The Climate Movement Needs Your Creativity, Not Your Guilt | Deepti Kannapan | TEDxYouth@SanAntonio

Fantastic video. Climate action is far more likely and sustainable when we orient towards excitement about the better future we can build together, rather than fear or guilt #climatechange #hope