@sambentley.bsky.social
Good news and climate solutions you may not have heard about!
🪷 Lotus flowers bloomed in Kashmiri lake after three decades!
Devastating floods in 1992 choked the lake with silt and completely wiped out the lotus plants, sending thousands who relied on harvesting them into poverty. After restoration efforts began in 2020, the lotuses have begun to return!
🐺 Wolves are helping baby aspen trees grow in Yellowstone for the first time in 80 years!
Large elk populations were eating up aspen tree saplings before they could grow, but reintroducing wolves in 1995 has helped reduce elk populations and given new saplings a chance to grow tall and healthy!
🪼Greece has announced the creation of two new National Marine Parks covering 27,500 sq km!
They’ll be one of the largest protected areas in the Mediterranean, helping to stop destructive practices like trawling, protect vulnerable species, and monitor and restore ecological balance.
🌉 A new car-free bridge in one of the prettiest towns in France!
The historic town of Albi unveiled a new pedestrian bridge which supports sustainable travel, provides stunning views and links the citys recreational spaces. And the beautiful design respects the UNESCO heritage status - take a look!
🐝 Record breaking French petition to protect bees from killer pesticide!
A petition against a controversial new bill allowing a toxic pesticide collected over a million signatures within days, showing strong public support, and meaning the issue will have to be raised and debated in parliament.
🦅 Good news for bald eagles! Maryland now has one of the largest bald eagle populations in the USA.
After years of conservation efforts starting back in 1985, they now have over 1400 breeding pairs, and the population has grown by an est. 250% in the last 2 decades alone!
🚗 Beep beep - London’s low-traffic zones are working!
Comparisons over more than a decade show low traffic zones were associated with reducing deaths and injuries by more than a third.
Bonus: The research also found there were no negative effects on nearby main roads in response.
☀️Surprising bird sanctuaries: Researchers found record-high numbers of skylarks nesting under solar panels in Germany.
Undisturbed by people and pesticides, with a buffet of bugs and the protective structure of the panels, birds are thriving under solar farms!
🌊Portugal announces new 38,000 sq. mile protected area around stunning underwater mountains.
Gorringe seamount is a safe haven for a huge diversity of marine-life with 850 species recorded living around it. This also makes Portugal a continent leader with their total protected waters now at 27%!
🚴🏼Coming soon: A new ‘national active travel network’!
12 of England’s regional mayors have pledged to create a combined 3,500 miles of safe routes for children to walk, cycle and scoot to school. Greener, cheaper, happier and healthier ways for children to get to school are on the way!
Read more about it here: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...
15.07.2025 17:50 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
🇸🇱Sierra Leone’s Gola Rainforest just achieved UNESCO World Heritage status marking its incredible importance for nature!
Once under threat from logging and civil war, this achievement means its 320 bird species, 600 butterfly species, endangered pygmy hippos and many more will be better protected.
🚨JUST IN: Citizens in Texas just beat a fossil fuel giant!
After a 15-year battle, Exxon must now pay a $14.25 million penalty for nearly a decade of illegal air pollution!
It’s the LARGEST penalty ever imposed by a court in a citizen-initiated public interest lawsuit to enforce the Clean Air Act.
🚨The plan to sell U.S. public lands has now been DROPPED from the 'Big Beautiful Bill'!
Senator Mike Lee withdrew the proposal after massive backlash, in a huge win for American people and public lands. These lands will now stay protected and accessible to all, not sold for private development.
Need some good news? I’ve got you. Here’s some of the best good news stories from June that you probably haven’t heard about!
26.06.2025 17:29 — 👍 12 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 1
‼️Plastic bag bans are actually working!
A major US study found that states charging for, or banning, plastic bags saw up to 47% fewer bags amongst beach litter, compared to places without. The UK saw an 80% drop in bags on beaches after introducing charges too!
🌿One of the largest wildlife refuges in the U.S. was just protected from mining!
A $60m deal by The Conservation Fund will stop a titanium mine near Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. The group bought 7,700 acres from Twin Pines Minerals, ending a years-long fight to safeguard this vital wetland habitat.
Plastic Odyssey and UNESCO just announced a landmark partnership to restore 50 marine World Heritage sites threatened by plastic pollution!
These remote sites are ecological treasures but also act as traps for plastic to get stuck on, so collabs like this will help safeguard their future!
✋🏼The UK has proposed a wider ban on destructive bottom trawling, that drags large nets along the sea floor, ripping up precious marine habitats.
The measures would help these habitats revive and help populations of lobsters, clams, and soft corals bounce back.
🇼🇸GOOD NEWS FROM SAMOA!
Samoa has announced it will fully protect 30% of its oceans with 9 new Marine Protected Areas!
It’s also introduced a law establishing a Marine Spatial Plan to sustainably manage 100% of its ocean too!
🛑Spain is set to ban flushing wet wipes and force manufacturers to pay for cleaning up sewers!
The draft law also aims to stop the release of disposable party balloons to help fight the abundance of single-use plastic on Spanish beaches. Should more countries do this?
Did anything good actually happen in May? Let’s take a look!
01.06.2025 08:31 — 👍 27 🔁 10 💬 0 📌 1
🌊GOOD NEWS FOR OUR OCEANS: The EU Court has confirmed that marine protected areas (MPAs) across Europe must be protected from destructive fishing practices, such as bottom trawling! (Blue Marine Foundation)
23.05.2025 11:58 — 👍 50 🔁 13 💬 1 📌 2
Screenshot of a Guardian news article with the headline: “Wildlife charities urge Labour to scrap ‘licence to kill nature’ in planning bill.” The subheading reads: “Conservationists say part of bill allowing developers to avoid environmental laws by paying into nature fund should be ditched.” Below, a protest photo shows handmade signs in woodland. One reads “BAT FACTS – 14 species of bat in Buckinghamshire. Bats are the only mammals that can fly.” Another says “FAT CATS KILL BATS” in bold letters. The image underscores public anger and the scale of opposition to the proposed Planning Bill.
Labour promised to restore nature. ❌
Instead, their Planning Bill contains a licence to destroy it.
We offered solutions. We’re done waiting.
Part 3 of the Bill would gut the laws protecting our most precious habitats & species.
Without significant change, it must be scrapped.
Did anything actually go right in March? Let’s take a look!
youtu.be/QwyQCjbQntQ?...
Thanks Fish!!
30.03.2025 11:40 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Appreciate you sharing Chris!
30.03.2025 11:39 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
If you want to start the weekend with a smile (or atleast not falling into a pit of despair), get yourself a warm drink and tuck into my latest good news show, looking back at what’s gone right over the last month!
28.02.2025 13:09 — 👍 55 🔁 10 💬 1 📌 6
🔥 Big Oil just lost a major battle! The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for Honolulu’s lawsuit against oil giants over alleged climate misinformation to move forward, marking a key step for holding the industry accountable.
20.01.2025 17:36 — 👍 93 🔁 15 💬 3 📌 6
It’s the BIG ONE! Good news in 2024 you might have missed!
Blimey this took an ageee to edit but I hope it can help you end your 2024 with a smile!
youtu.be/By3Z8AU-nuc
