Trees Over Tombstones

Good News Good Planet

Player FM - Internet Radio Done Right

تمت الإضافة منذ قبل seven عام

المحتوى المقدم من Good News Good Planet and Mandy Stapleford. يتم تحميل جميع محتويات البودكاست بما في ذلك الحلقات والرسومات وأوصاف البودكاست وتقديمها مباشرة بواسطة Good News Good Planet and Mandy Stapleford أو شريك منصة البودكاست الخاص بهم. إذا كنت تعتقد أن شخصًا ما يستخدم عملك المحمي بحقوق الطبع والنشر دون إذنك، فيمكنك اتباع العملية الموضحة هنا https://ar.player.fm/legal.

TechSurge: Deep Tech VC Podcast

1
Understanding the Elegant Math Behind Modern Machine Learning 1:14:43

منذ 3 أيام1:14:43

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قوائم

إعجاب

احب

1:14:43

Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace—what does that mean for the future of technology, venture capital, business, and even our understanding of ourselves? Award-winning journalist and writer Anil Ananthaswamy joins us for our latest episode to discuss his latest book Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI . Anil helps us explore the journey and many breakthroughs that have propelled machine learning from simple perceptrons to the sophisticated algorithms shaping today’s AI revolution, powering GPT and other models. The discussion aims to demystify some of the underlying math that powers modern machine learning to help everyone grasp this technology impacting our lives, even if your last math class was in high school. Anil walks us through the power of scaling laws, the shift from training to inference optimization, and the debate among AI’s pioneers about the road to AGI—should we be concerned, or are we still missing key pieces of the puzzle? The conversation also delves into AI’s philosophical implications—could understanding how machines learn help us better understand ourselves? And what challenges remain before AI systems can truly operate with agency? If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Read Why Machines Learn, Anil’s latest book on the math behind AI https://www.amazon.com/Why-Machines-Learn-Elegant-Behind/dp/0593185749 Learn more about Anil Ananthaswamy’s work and writing https://anilananthaswamy.com/ Watch Anil Ananthaswamy’s TED Talk on AI and intelligence https://www.ted.com/speakers/anil_ananthaswamy Discover the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship that shaped Anil’s AI research https://ksj.mit.edu/ Understand the Perceptron, the foundation of neural networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptron Read about the Perceptron Convergence Theorem and its significance https://www.nature.com/articles/323533a0…

منذ 5 أعوام 2:19

MP3•منزل الحلقة

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* TREES INSTEAD OF TOMBSTONES Worldwide, death services is a 20 billion dollar industry. Most people don't like to think about death let alone its environmental impact on the Earth. Embalming fluids, caskets, and other aspects of traditional burials take a toll on nature on a large scale. So how can we make our last foot print on Earth an environmentally-friendly one? A San Francisco startup has a unique answer that also protects an endangered Redwood Forest. ‘Better Place Forests’ offers its customers trees instead of tombstones. Clients claim a particular tree and scatter their loved one's ashes there. The location is reserved for them in a protected forest with conservation easements that prevent the land from ever being commercially developed. Each tree is marked with a placard so that mourners can easily find their loved ones. And this forest has 21st century technology, with each placard containing memory chips which visitors can scan to watch a digital memorial of the deceased talking about his or her life. Founder Sandy Gibson came up with the idea after years of dealing with his parents' less-than-stellar cemetery arrangements. His fondest memories of them were in nature—not the busy city street they were buried near—a place he did not enjoy visiting to pay his respects. He just knew there had to be a better option so he and some friends decided to redesign the entire end of life experience. They purchased a large chunk of Redwood Forest on the California coast and they are now accepting reservations for plots. You can also request a bio-degradable urn with seeds for a new tree. There are currently over a million acres of cemeteries in the United States alone. Using the laws that protect cemeteries from destruction, Gibson's goal is to protect a million acres of forests instead. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

57 حلقات

#News #Mandy Stapleford #Good News Planet

Trees Over Tombstones

Good News Good Planet

published منذ 5 أعوام

MP3•منزل الحلقة

57 حلقات

#News #Mandy Stapleford #Good News Planet

Tüm bölümler

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Access Now 2:35

منذ 4 years2:35

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Neccessity is the mother of invention and there's an app for those who want to find handicap accessible businesses around the world.

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Play Everywhere 2:30

منذ 4 years2:30

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منذ 4 years2:30

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منذ 4 years2:23

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منذ 4 years2:19

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Street Vet 2:27

منذ 4 years2:27

2:27

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* Street Vet It’s often overlooked that people who become homeless are not likely to be able to care for their pets properly. Disturbed by this issue and the rising problem of homelessness in America, California veterinarian Kwane Stewart realized his unique opportunity to make a difference. Since 2011, Kwane has visited the poorest areas of Los Angeles carrying his medical bag and offering his services, free of charge. He treats a myriad of animal illnesses from infections to allergies, bad teeth, flea infestations, and even arthritis. He also arranges surgeries at no or low cost, often paying for medicines and supplies out of his own pocket. While the majority of his patients are dogs, he also sees cats, birds, and reptiles too. He gets to know these animals and their owners, who often open up about their lives on the street and their reasons for being there. Anyone whose loved a pet knows how strong the bond of love can be. Homeless people are with their animal every minute of every day and that relationship means everything to them. These animals can provide their owners with a sense of belonging, purpose, security and hope within the hard times they face on the street. It is not unusual for the owners to treat their animals better than they treat themselves. “I’ve seen homeless people feed their pet before they feed themselves,” he says. “I’ve seen them give their last dollar to care for them. They sustain each other and that is the power of pet companionship.” To expand his mission, Kwane set up a GoFundMe page called “The Street Vet.” He is also documenting his experiences in a TV series of the same name, where he hopes to not only take care of the animals in need but to also challenge the preconceived notions of the homeless people who love them. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

1
Talk To The Hands 2:34

منذ 4 years2:34

2:34

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* Talk to the Hands Over 30 million people use sign language to communicate, but only a fraction of the world's population can understand them—until now. Kenyan inventor Roy Allela has designed a pair of gloves that translate signed hand movements into speech. Called Sign-IO, it relies on sensors that are stitched into each finger which can detect the movement and positions of the hands, and interpret them into words being signed. The gloves connect via Bluetooth to a phone app, also designed by Allela, which convert the gestures into audible speech for others to understand. Allela got the inspiration for his invention from watching his family's struggle to communicate with his six-year-old niece, who was born deaf. "My niece wears the gloves, pairs them to her phone or mine, then starts signing and I'm able to understand what she's saying," says Allela. "Like all sign language users, she's very good at lip reading so she doesn't need me to sign back." But these gloves also double as a tool to teach non-signers by way of the visual and audible working together. Both the gloves and the app are adjustable to different users’ needs, from speed of movement of the hands, to different pitches and tones of voice in the electronic speech of the app. Allella first launched his talking gloves in 2018, at a special-needs school in south-west Kenya, and he hopes to make them available to as many children as possible worldwide. Sign-IO is just one of a growing number of assistive technology devices for people with impairments and limitations. The market, which is expected to top $30 billion dollars by 2024, is exploding as people find new ways to break down communication barriers and overcome obstacles via technology. And breaking down communication barriers of every kind, is a positive game changer for everyone. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

1
Solar Road Trip 2:40

منذ 4 years2:40

2:40

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* A Solar Road Trip Recreational Vehicles cost big bucks and are often big gas guzzlers. Can you even imagine travelling across the country in an RV, without regularly fueling up at gas stations? Well, now you can, and you'll be able to get away from it all in a completely solar-powered, electric motorhome, that doesn’t leave a carbon footprint behind you. German RV company Dethleffs has built an RV prototype that is completely powered by the sun. Called the e.home, this large, Type C motorhome is covered in over 300 square feet of thin-film solar panels. The panels can generate 3000 watts of electricity, powering the vehicle for 175 miles per solar charge. It also has the significant advantage of being able to run all the extra home devices without any additional type of energy source for the vehicle. The e.home supplies all the on-board services with electricity for the living area, from its own solar power production. New technologies are also adding to the comfort, and safety of the vehicle. Built-in monitoring systems streamline vehicle operations and provide driver assistance, creating a "Smart Motorhome" that squeezes the most out of its power production. This extraordinary eco design also uses heat-releasing infrared panels in the floors, walls, and furniture and exterior heat absorbent materials that release heat inside, when the temperature drops at night outside. The luxury e.home eco RV also features a sofa lounge and dining area that converts into a bedroom, complete with starlit ceiling. Creature comforts include a sleek kitchen, toilet room, and flat-panel TV, along with a wireless charging pad for mobile devices, all powered by the sun. Dethleffs is making its e.home part of its future lineup of RVs, inspiring other manufacturers while bringing green, off-grid mobile living to a highway near you. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

1
Homeless Tiny Homes 2:34

منذ 4 years2:34

2:34

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* Homeless Tiny Homes Sadly, there are over half a million homeless people living across America with varied responses to the problem from the local communities. In San Jose, California, the local nonprofit HomeFirst came up with the idea to offer tiny homes—very tiny homes—to the homeless. The project is aimed at getting people off the streets, onto their feet and back into society. With support from the city’s Mayor Liccardo and Governor Gavin Newsome, HomeFirst teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to build a 40-unit community on vacant city property. Each tiny home is 80 square feet and contains a twin bed with storage drawers beneath it. The units are equipped with lighting, electrical outlets, smoke detectors, and locking doors. Residents also have access to shared bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities, and kitchens, plus a common room building with computers and job boards. The entire site is fenced in and provides around-the-clock security. The idea was years in the making, but in early 2020 the Maybury Bridge Housing Project was finally ready for residents. Built with volunteers from Habitat for Humanity and HomeFirst, each unit cost just $6500—a small price to pay for such a big reward. Residents stay for 60 days or until they can get into more permanent housing. They are supported with a range of services to help along the way, including healthcare resources and career counseling. Although tiny in size, these homes serve as a giant step forward for those sheltering in them. A second site is already in the works, and will offer another 40 residences to those who need it most. If this proves to be successful, San Jose will expand it to other unused industrial sites and vacant lots in the city, chipping away at homelessness--one tiny home at a time. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

1
Super Adobe 2:43

منذ 4 years2:43

2:43

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* Super Adobe Hormuz is an island south of Iran, in the Persian Gulf. It lays claim to being an historic port that controls shipments of petroleum from the middle east. Its mountainous terrain is jagged and dramatic, full of rich, earthy color. The geography is indeed beautiful, but without sufficient tourism residents often fall prey to illegal trafficking activities, using their boats. In a unique attempt to boost the local economy and empower its residents in another direction, the Tehran based firm ZAV Architects, have built a brightly colored and visually engaging community right on the beach, with the sensational jagged mountain range as the backdrop. The multipurpose development is called ‘Majara’ and it is intended to tie together the lives of the local people and visitors, both culturally and economically. What you see from the sea is a cluster of candy-colored domes, like huge, pointy Easter eggs of multiple sizes pushed down into the sand. Over 100 of these bulbous forms are grouped together amid winding pathways. The interiors are extraordinary in their different heights and primary colors, and are beautifully simplistic and minimalist in design. The structures are made using an innovative building method called superadobe, which involves layering long fabric tubes filled with earth and other organic materials, like straw, to form a compression structure. The multicolored domes were built with the help of the local residents, who were trained in the superadobe process. This mud bag construction is well suited to the hot, arid climate, as earth-based materials are both readily available and provide wonderful thermal mass. The interiors are cool during the day as the thick earthen walls absorb the sun’s heat and then radiate it back inside at night. This successful and gorgeous eco-friendly design has won multiple architectural awards and achieved its purpose of encouraging tourism, boosting the economy and uniting the community that lives there. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
Tap The Power 2:32

منذ 4 years2:32

2:32

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* Tap the Power Torrents of water flow beneath cities all over the world, creating pressure in their pipelines which must be vented. Lucid Energy in Portland, Oregon, has found a way to harness that pressure and change it into useable energy, without disrupting water delivery or the environment. The company has invented a series of water turbines, which look like giant egg beaters that are placed in large, gravity-fed pipelines. As water flows through the pipes, the turbines spin, creating renewable energy which can then be used to generate clean water or be sold back to the power company. Sensors installed in the pipes can also detect changes in water pressure, helping to predict potential burst pipes, saving millions of gallons that would otherwise be wasted. They can also monitor for contaminants in the drinking water. This system is capturing energy—free energy—that is otherwise being lost. It operates day and night and is completely independent of the weather. And since it's already enclosed, no fish or wildlife are harmed. For water utilities, which use massive amounts of electricity, this approach is a game changer that can make it cheaper to provide clean drinking water. They can either use the power themselves or sell it as a new source of revenue. Now, in places like Riverside, California and Portland, Oregon, when you turn on the tap, you are generating excess electricity that runs water operations during the day and powers the streetlights at night. With the U.S. water infrastructure due to be overhauled over the next 20 years, there's an opportunity here, to add these water turbines everywhere, creating renewable energy within existing water delivery systems. And this is just the beginning, as this technology is gaining worldwide attention, because the production of clean water and energy are so closely dependent, and are now, more sustainable. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
Flip Flop Art 2:38

منذ 4 years2:38

2:38

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* Flip Flop Art For billions of people, colorful, rubbery flip-flops are the most affordable footwear option. But the flimsy shoes don't last long and often end up in dumps, ditches, and waterways. Millions end up in the oceans, where they can travel hundreds of miles, washing up on distant shores. On the shores of Kenya, east Africa, entrepreneur Julie Church is finding ways to turn this never-ending stream of trash into treasure. She established “Ocean Sole Africa,” a social enterprise centered on cleaning the world's oceans while also supporting impoverished families in coastal areas. In a country with a 40% unemployment rate, this Kenyan company offers a lifeline to disadvantaged and displaced workers. It hires local women, kids and fishermen to collect flip-flops from the shorelines. The discarded footwear is then washed, sterilized, and sorted by color, before being compressed and glued into giant blocks. Local artists then sculpt and sand the blocks into bright, colorful toys, animal figures, jewelry, and more. Many of the artisans are woodcarvers who were displaced when the deforestation of ebony and mahogany was outlawed. Now their artwork is helping to restore balance to nature while also supporting and building their community. The company has already recycled millions of flip-flops and contributes a portion of its revenue to beach cleanups, vocational and educational programs, and conservation efforts, wasting nothing in the process. Even the leftover rubber is shredded and made into mattresses for refugees. “Ocean Sole Africa” sells their unique upcycled creations both online and offline. They've created large sculptures for malls and businesses, and a collection even resides in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. They’ve proven that conscious entrepreneurship can turn a profit while helping people and the planet at the same time. #### This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
37 MLK 2:37

منذ 4 years2:37

2:37

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* 37 MLK As California's housing crisis deepens, due to skyrocketing rents, many locals have been forced from their long-time homes and are now homeless within their own neighborhoods. But a neighborhood in Oakland shines as an example of what neighbors can do when they work together. Stefani Echeverría-Fenn walked past a vacant lot every day on her way to work for years. After learning of a friend who had lost her home due to rising rents, she became inspired and took action. She cleared the land of weeds and set up a tent for herself to show others what could be done with it. Now called 37MLK for its address, it grew into a community of long-time female residents who had lived in the area for most of their lives but could no longer afford housing. Many grew up together and knew each other. Stefani lives in an apartment nearby, but also in her tent at 37MLK, because she feels that if she can’t live there, it’s not good enough. With the support of neighboring homeowners, the site has become a homeless sanctuary complete with a solar shower, a communal kitchen and dining area, camping toilets and a pump-operated sink. Walkways between tents are lined with solar-powered lights and mini white picket fences. A garden provides fresh food, and chickens are kept for eggs and pest control. The entire area is kept clean by the resident women, while neighbors help with trash and waste disposal. Together, this community has made 37MLK a model for local lawmakers, showing how residents, with and without homes, can work and live alongside one another while much-needed affordable housing is erected. In early 2020, inspired by this success, Oakland city council allocated $600,000 to launch a pilot project based on the homeless encampment, intending to build more communities where all neighbors can care for one another. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
Sun Sea Food 2:43

منذ 4 years2:43

2:43

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* Food from Sun and Sea How do you feed the Earth's growing population with a finite amount of land? You get smart and creative, that’s how, and that's just what the Australian company Sundrop Farms has done. Addressing the increasing human population alongside the increasing shortages of food, water and energy, this company is growing food with only sunlight and sea water, even in the desert. Their off-grid farming solution negates the effects of droughts, floods, and other weather challenges, without using soil, fossil fuels, groundwater, pesticides, or GMOs. Sundrop Farms chose to focus on what resources were abundant, to come up with food growing solutions. Starting in the coastal Australian desert, they’ve utilized the abundance of sunshine and sea water. Their hi-tech greenhouses integrate solar power, electricity generation, fresh water production and hydroponics that can produce 37,000 pounds of food a year on just 49 acres. The entire operation is powered by a solar tower that creates 39 megawatts of electricity on a sunny day, enough to run the entire farm. The crops are grown hydroponically with a million gallons of sea water that is pumped in daily, desalinated, and enriched with coconut husks and sustainably-sourced nutrients. Sea water is also a natural disinfectant and pest control, eliminating the need for pesticides. Leftover water is returned to the sea, further reducing the farm's environmental impact. The success of Sundrop Farms in Australia has allowed them to expand to other countries, where they’re building farms to meet the needs of local supermarkets. Their unique eco-friendly process doesn’t compete with, but rather compliments, other local food production. Using smart innovation while caring for the health of our planet, they are breaking farming’s dependence chemicals and finite resources and that equals a long term, win-win solution for all. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
For One Smile 2:31

منذ 4 years2:31

2:31

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* For One Smile Not everyone can afford a beautiful smile. In some countries, dental care is only a dream...as well as a luxury. In Brazil alone, nearly twenty million people have never seen a dentist due to social and economic hardships. Having witnessed these difficulties first hand, a Brazilian man is seeking to improve dental healthcare for the poor, and not just in his own country. Thirty-eight-year-old dentist Filipe Rossi travels the world providing dental care to native populations and villages in poverty. His charity organization, “Por 1 Sorriso”, meaning "for one smile,” provides dental care to thousands of people annually in South America and East Africa. And they do it all for free. The majority of Rossi's work is financed through donations from charities and from private companies, like toothpaste manufacturer Colgate, who has sponsored many of his trips. This generous dentist also raises awareness and funds by sharing before and after photos of his work on social media, showing patients in need of new teeth and their reactions after treatment. The dramatic transformations showcase not just changed smiles, but changed lives as well. Rossi and his thousands of volunteers offer an array of free dental procedures including root canals, cleanings, restorations and emergency dental work. “I didn’t do dentistry to take care of teeth," says Rossi. “But to take care of people. Awakening smiles without a business relationship—just for love— connects us with something bigger.” Improving someone’s teeth improves their lives in a myriad of ways. From social acceptance, to self-confidence and even improved physical health due to being able to eat anything and chew properly. Filipe Rossi and “Por 1 Sorriso” are making the world a better place, one grateful smile at a time. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live. “Building community through creativity. SecoLive.org #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
Teaching Empathy 2:43

منذ 4 years2:43

2:43

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* Teaching Empathy Empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another. Empathy is vital for a civilized society to thrive, yet it is not necessarily instinctive and sometimes needs to be taught. In Denmark, a nation that has consistently been voted the happiest in terms of the quality of life for its citizens, empathy is taught in schools from a very young age. Introduced in 1993, a mandatory program called “Step by Step”, begins as early as pre-school. Children are not born with racism or hate or suspicion, they learn those terrible traits from society. So why not teach them how to stay kind instead? “Step by Step” shows kids images of other kids in different emotional states; sadness, anger, fear, frustration, happiness, confusion and so on. The students then talk about what they see, what the other child is feeling and what they think it would feel like to themselves. They learn the life-affirming skills of how to read facial expressions and body language of problem solving, self-control and of course, empathy. Teaching non-judgement is also essential, they are to simply recognize the emotions they see and respect those sentiments. The Danish go even further with an anti-bullying programs that encourage kids to talk about bullying and teasing and to learn to become more caring to each other. It has yielded such positive results that 98% of teachers say they would recommend it to other institutions. And it has been proven that empathy is one of the most important factors in fostering successful leaders, entrepreneurs, managers and businesses. While history, science and math are important, the Danish understand that empathy is a necessary life skill that will empower a person and take them farther in life than numbers and facts ever will. This story brought to you by Arroyo Seco Live, building community through creativity. SecoLive.org. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
Via Verde 2:31

منذ 4 years2:31

2:31

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* “Via Verde” While there are multiple ways to combat air pollution, some ways just aren’t as feasible, especially when trying to combat it in one of the world’s most congested cities. Mexico City, populated by almost 9 million people, has gotten innovative and greener at the same time. In 2017, A Change.org petition was started to gauge if the public would support the “Via Verde” or “Green Way”. It was developed by Fernando Ortiz Monasterio from the firm “Verde Vertical". The project received an unprecedented level of support by gaining 80,000 signatures in just one week. Though also approved by the government, this project is unique for its scale as it is all privately funded. A group of eligible Corporations came together to invest a whopping $15.1 Million into this environmentally and life-changing endeavor. Via Verde uses the concept of vertical gardening to transform their highway pillars into air-cleansing and people-pleasing monoliths. Covering over 1000 gray concrete columns, these hanging gardens use plants that are resistant to the elements; have low water consumption and air cleansing properties. The highway pillars are first covered in prefabricated panels, which still allow the pillars to be serviced. The plants are watered naturally by the rain as well as by a monitored, automated, and a remote controlled micro-spraying system, which only employs treated and reclaimed rainwater. This is win-win enterprise on multiple levels. The special felt for the seedlings is made from recycled plastic bottles, and this venture enlists inmates at two of the cities prisons as part of a work-experience rehabilitation program. Via Verde has also created hundreds of jobs through the projects’ design, installation, and maintenance. In Mexico City, bringing nature back is helping clear the air while at the same time, creating a more beautiful and mentally peaceful urban commute. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
Street Store 2:21

منذ 4 years2:21

2:21

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* "Street Store" We’ve all seen the homeless rummaging in bins and trash cans to find not only food but often, much needed clothing. Clothing for the homeless has long been an issue, and now a dignified solution has been invented. The Street Store was founded by Kayli Lee Levitan and Max Pazak of the public relations firm, M&C Saatchi Abel. The two co-workers witnessed from their office balcony in the trendy neighborhood of Greenpoint, South Africa, a daily divide in the street below between those with resources and those without. This led them to a partnership with the Haven Night Shelter, and The Street Store charity was born. Street Store is a rent-free, building free, pop-up clothing store that is organized and worked by volunteers, to give clothing to the homeless absolutely free of charge. It’s unique, in that the company created downloadable, open source graphics to make posters and cardboard hangers to advertise and display the clothes professionally. For many homeless it’s the first respectable ‘shopping’ experience they’ve ever had. The first Street Store was set up in Cape Town, South Africa in January of 2014, and was supposed to be a one-time event. It was advertised on social media with requests for donations of clothes. That event resulted in over 1,000 bags of clothing being given away that day. That first success led to The Street Store concept going global. As of late 2019, pop-up Street Stores have been opened in over 500 locations in over 200 cities around the globe. Today, anyone can download the artwork and host their own Street Store. It is a perfect example of how an observation, an idea and a little ingenuity can lead to a decreasing the gap between the haves and have-nots, which leads to a better world for us all. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
Bus Stop Bees 2:21

منذ 4 years2:21

2:21

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* BUS STOP BEES Honey Bees are one of the most important pollinators on the planet. Unfortunately, Honey Bee populations are declining due to human interference on many levels. But there’s a news buzz of hope on the horizon in Europe… In Utrecht, Holland, they’ve taken the declining bee population problem into their own hands or should I say, over their bus stops! The City of Utrecht has planted the roofs of their bus stops with Sedum, as a way to help the honey bee and bumble bee populations. Sedum are bee friendly succulents which are easy to grow and improve air quality. Last year the Dutch Government introduced this Pollinator Strategy in an attempt to revive the bee, butterfly, and other insect populations which are necessary for more than 75% of the country’s edible crops. Not only do the buzzing bus stops aid in recovering the bee population, but they also aid in improving the city environment by capturing fine dust, reducing noise and absorbing carbon. The new roofs also store rainwater, and provide cooling in the summer. The buzzing bus stops are maintained by city workers who go from one stop to the next via electric vehicles. These environmentally friendly hubs have also been equipped with energy efficient LED lights and sustainable bamboo benches. As of late 2019, Utrecht had 10 electric busses in service with a plan to have all their busses emission-free by the year 2028. The city is also encouraging its residents to alter their home roofs to be buzz-worthy and bio-diverse by offering available eco-funding to do so. Utrecht’s long-term plan is to create a more sustainable city, and a model that others can easily replicate. Improving the lives of the pollinators, the people and the planet, one buzzing green roof at a time! #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

Good News Good Planet

1
German Water Trains 2:26

منذ 4 years2:26

2:26

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* GERMAN WATER TRAINS While public transportation is an essential part of a cleaner world, when it comes to trains, most of them run on diesel which emit greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide. But nowthere is an amazing eco-alternative. So all aboard… Germany is one of the first countries working towards eliminating emissions completely from their rail service, as they’ve recently introduced the world’s first zero emission, hydrogen powered passenger train. In 2017, 14 trains called the Coradia iLint were purchased by Germany from the company Alstom. It is expected that 14 more zero-emissions trains will be in service by 2021. France is anticipating having its first zero-emission train by 2022. The new hydrogen powered railcars are equipped with fuel cells, which produce electricity through a combination of hydrogen and oxygen. Where traditionally trains would emit pollution due to being diesel powered, hydrogen trains only emit harmless steam and water—any excess energy not used is stored in ion-lithium batteries on board the train for future consumption. The bright blue Coradia iLint trains can run on an electrified railway, for about 600 miles on one tank of hydrogen, which is comparable to the diesel version. This technology is not only greener, but a much quieter alternative. The hydrogen train is slightly more costly up front than the diesel version, but in the long run operations are less expensive. Hydrogen is the lightest element on the periodic table and it is also the most abundant chemical in the universe. These trains are a good option for nations that have limited petroleum reserves—as well as for the U.S. which already produces a large amount of Hydrogen annually. The hydrogen powered train is high performing, smart alternative to traditional rail travel and the first of its kind to be sustainable too. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

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1
Cancer K9s 2:31

منذ 4 years2:31

2:31

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* CANCER K9S Cancer is going to the dogs. While canines are often used to sniff out drugs and bombs, researchers are now using them to nose out certain types of cancer. A British organization called Medical Detection Dogs is conducting one of the largest clinical trials of canine cancer detection. In the studies, trained dogs circle a carousel of blood serum samples containing both normal and malignant ones. The canines were able to sniff out the cancerous ones with 97% accuracy, better than some traditional lab tests. A dog's nose has about 300 million sensors compared with a human's 5 million. Dogs also have a second smelling device known as a Jacobson's organ, essentially giving them two noses. This double smelling system makes them 10,000 times more sensitive than humans, and allows them to detect cancer's unique odor signatures called volatile organic compounds. These signatures are contained in a person's sweat, breath, urine, and other bodily fluids. With such powerful sniffers, certain dogs can identify colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and melanomas. Until now, most reports of canines detecting cancer were anecdotal. The study's findings confirm these stories and will hopefully reduce or eliminate expensive, invasive screening. "I absolutely believe that dogs can detect cancer,” says Cynthia Otto, director of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Working Dog Center. “The bigger question is how we will use them in the battle to fight cancer?” Scientists are still working on how to implement dogs in clinical practice and on a broader scale. Possibilities include using them in conjunction with traditional diagnostic tests or creating something entirely new, such as an "electronic nose" that could imitate a dog's powerful smelling abilities. One thing remains clear: man's best friend is proving to be man's greatest ally as well, in the fight against cancer. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

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1
Avocado Fork 2:28

منذ 4 years2:28

2:28

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* AVOCADO FORK From pit to plastic A Mexican company has created a pollution solution from its most favorite fruit. BIOFASE (Bee-o Fassa) offers a line of cutlery and straws created from avocado pits. Founder Scott Munguia came up with the idea while studying chemical engineering. He observed that avocado seeds have a molecular structure similar to corn, which is often used in bioplastics but is expensive and it’s a useable food. His home country of Mexico produces half of the world's avocado supply but leaves a waste product of millions of seeds. Munguia theorized a solution and set about finding a way to make low-cost biopolymers from the discarded pits. A year and a half later, his business had created resins that can be mixed into plastics making them more compostable. The resulting products are strong, tolerant to heat and cold, and designed to biodegrade in just 240 days rather than the 10 to 10,000 years normal plastics take to decompose. They break down without needing to be separated for recycling and have a lower carbon footprint. These avocado alternatives are also affordable, selling for the same price as their traditional counterparts. The company ships its cutlery and straws to over 19 countries worldwide. While that's only a drop in the bucket of the 6-billion-dollar plastics industry, what makes BIOFASE extraordinary is how they take local waste and transform into something sustainable and profitable. What's next for the award-winning Mexican startup? "Our company aims to become an international leader in the development and distribution of bioplastics," says Munguia, who is back in the lab, finding more ways to turn food waste into useful products. He hopes other types of biomass can help replace plastics globally. Until then, he's building a better world now, one avocado pit at a time. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

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Meditation Education 2:24

منذ 4 years2:24

2:24

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* MEDITATION EDUCATION You've heard the term "mind over matter," but how about mind over detention? In America, schools nationwide are replacing detention and discipline with mindfulness programs and meditation, garnering some amazing results: suspensions have been cut in half, attendance is up and so are grade point averages. How? By teaching children to recognize and deal with stress before it becomes a disciplinary issue in the first place. In Baltimore, Maryland seventeen schools are participating in the Mindful Moment Program. Classrooms are guided through daily breathing and meditation, during 15-minute recorded sessions. Teachers are taught how to check in with students for emotional issues throughout the day, and help them practice mindfulness skills when they're having a rough time. Overwhelmed students can request a break in the "Mindful Moment Room" or be sent there. Instructors talk to each child and help them engage in mindfulness practices, including breathing exercises and yoga. Many of the staff are former students themselves and can relate firsthand to the issues the children face. The goal is to help kids identify and process their emotions, rather than bury them or lash out. Studies show a mindfulness approach reduces problematic responses to stress. Outbursts and tantrums are down and teaching minutes are up with students of all ages. Parents are getting in on the act too as many kids are teaching them to breathe out their stress and tension. The impact has been especially felt in urban communities where stress levels are high and in the long term can affect a child's ability to focus and learn. Teaching children mindfulness skills at a young age will serve them and benefit all far beyond the classroom and into adulthood, leading to better choices and a more peaceful existence. And that’s good news for a peaceful planet. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

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1
Ability App 2:18

منذ 4 years2:18

2:18

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* THE ABILITY APP From disability to ability, with an app. Holding a job, running errands, or just going out to dinner can be challenging for those with disabilities. An Idaho teenager hopes to avert those challenges through the power of an app. Alex Knoll was just nine years old in 2014 when he came up with the idea while watching a man in a wheelchair struggle to open a heavy door. He wondered if there was an app or website that could’ve told him what stores around the area had automatic doors. But there weren't any, so Alex set out to build one. Four years later, Alex’s "Ability App" was nearly finished. It’s designed so that the disabled and their caregivers can search for accessibility features of local businesses such as wheelchair ramps, disabled parking, braille menus and more. After an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Alex was flooded with thousands of emails saying how life-changing this groundbreaking app would be for them. Ellen also helped fund his project and hooked him up with her App team. His TV appearance then lead to an invite to Apple for their Keynote conference. As of mid 2019, the app was in its early Phase 1 stage. Phase 2 will include services such as in-home care, grocery delivery, transportation, and occupational therapy. Phase 3 will add employment listings as well as reviews from users. Alex has also recruited over 800 volunteer "Ability Ambassadors," people that help identify and rate local communities on their accessibility. The idea is to create a digital ecosystem similar to Yelp, for those with disabilities. As Alex nears completion of the Ability App, he says he can't wait to share this amazing tool with the world… well, neither can we. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

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1
GN 6.56 Bio Gas 2:34

منذ 4 years2:34

2:34

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* BIO-GAS They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure, and now it’s also another’s power. Garbage collection comes at a high cost, environmentally speaking, due to the colossal amount of fossil fuels trash trucks require. But what if their load became their power as well? The city of Toronto is in the process of converting their entire garbage truck fleet to run on Biogas. Their newly-constructed Dufferin Solid Waste Management Facility is state-of-the-art, and it uses anaerobic digestion to convert food scraps and other compostables, into Bio-gas. It then transforms it into renewable natural gas called RNG. RNG can then be injected into the natural gas grid and be used to fuel vehicles, provide electricity, and heat homes and businesses. According to city officials, RNG generated from food waste is actually considered to be carbon-negative. The amount of RNG burned is offset by the savings of traditional fossil fuel and by keeping organics out of the landfill. In March of 2020, 170 Toronto garbage trucks will run their pickup routes on a mixture of standard natural gas and RNG. Eventually they’ll go full RNG once the pilot program has worked out any kinks. Trash trucks will pick up and deliver food scraps to the waste facility and then immediately fill up their fuel tanks with RNG before heading out to collect more trash. The trucks will essentially be fueled by what they pick up, creating a constant supply of fuel. This closed-loop, renewable energy project is one of the first of its kind in Canada and North America. It's also a double win, allowing Toronto to reduce its carbon footprint and save money on fuel at the same time. The project is part of the city's Long-Term Waste Management Strategy, which strives to save energy by creating it, while reducing carbon emissions, which leads to a healthier world for us all. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.…

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