With all the intense, heavy news articles released every day about the state of our planet, it’s an internal struggle to not get swept away by fear. Today, we want to lift your spirits with remarkable events and stories about sustainability. Coming from around the world, we know these stories will boost your spirit.
Greta Thunberg’s Journey to New York
Great Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist, is actively changing the world we live in. She has been protesting for addressing climate change outside Swedish parliament for over a year, and is fully committed to the cause. One of the reasons she’s rejected invitations to climate conferences and summits overseas is because she refuses to fly, due to the carbon footprint of aviation. But recently, she crossed the Atlantic on a zero-emissions yacht to attend the United Nations Climate Action Summit. Greta is a bright, beautiful, powerful force. Learn about her journey here. Be sure to check out her TEDTalk, too!
Tree Planting Record in Ethiopia
At the end of July, Ethiopia broke the record for trees planted on a single day by planting 350 million seedlings. The Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, set a goal of planting four billion trees before fall in order to combat climate change and deforestation. The majority of the country’s businesses, organizations, and schools closed for the day to participate in the event.
Teen Fionn Ferreira Successfully Removes Microplastics from Water
In the recent Google Science Fair, 18-year-old Fionn Ferreira presented his method for extracting microplastics from water sources using a method he developed after finding a stone with oil and plastic stuck to it while walking on a beach. Out of 950 tests, his extraction method was 88% effective, so hopefully we’ll see his project utilized on a grander scale in the coming months to start the removal process in our waterways.
Tackling the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Last fall, The Ocean Cleanup launched their first ocean cleanup system, System 001, also known as Wilson. Through trial and error, they made various adjustments to Wilson to improve his effectiveness. This eventually led to a restructure of the original technology, which they’ve renamed System 001/B. System 001/B was launched in late-June, and recently completed the initial trials with the new modifications, showing promising results. The Ocean Cleanup are moving into what they call the “Twilight Zone,” a timeframe where more adjustments need to be made. You can read the full update here, and be sure to follow them on social media to stay up-to-date.
Morgan Freeman’s Bee Sanctuary
Did you know that Morgan Freeman converted his 124-acre ranch into a bee sanctuary? We were excited, too. The declining bee population on Earth needs more attention, because bees are the foundation of pollination for our entire food system. Without bees, growing food will be incredibly difficult. We thank Morgan Freeman, as well as all people fighting to save the bees by providing them space and energy to thrive.
More Countries Banning Plastic Bags
As of July 2019, 127 countries have implemented a plastic bag ban. This is awesome news, but we still have a long way to go in battling the war on plastic. Plastic bags and straws are the first step, but we can build on this momentum and push forward.
Global news can be heavy, and it is helpful to find and focus on positive events. We hope that sharing these stories restores the hope, energy, and motivation you need to keep fighting for our Earth. High-five your neighbor, celebrate the little wins, the grand defeats, and all the milestones in between.
Join us at Double A Paper in healing the planet by using sustainable paper. One way to do so is by using Double A Paper. Our sustainable paper production process, which begins when farmers plant the raw material, involves no waste and uses all the material of the trees. Our process also helps farmers in Thailand, supplementing their income and providing use of the unused land between their rice paddies, called the “KHAN-NA”. Heal the planet by trying Double A paper!
