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The Best Positive News We’re Celebrating This Week —

A Tennessee city just became the first “National Park City” in North America

The city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been working since late 2023 to be designated as a “National Park City,” driven by the voices of residents, community leaders, businesses, and nonprofits.

After gathering thousands of signatures of support, it crafted a National Park City charter grounded in seven core commitments to people, place, and nature. And now, it’s official: Chattanooga has been named North America’s first National Park City.

The city’s mayor said they used the movement “to encourage folks to think about Chattanooga as a city in a park, rather than a city with some parks in it.”

Why is this good news? In the 1970s, Chattanooga was one of the most polluted cities in the United States. In the decades since, it's developed its parks, wildlife sanctuaries, urban landscapes, and more to make the city greener, healthier, and wilder. This historic designation is proof that with the will, effort, and investment, we can turn around even the most devastating environmental damage.

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In a TED Talk, a chemist debuted a ‘natural peel' that extends the life of produce — from bananas to avocados — without ‘refrigeration, pesticides, waxes, or plastics’

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A Minnesota couple transformed a local motel into affordable housing

In 2018, Rick and Kelly Bestul became the owners of King Motel off State Highway 7 on the west side of Hutchinson, Minnesota.

In the 7 years since the Bestuls took over the King Motel, they reported a growing number of guests have taken out extended stays because they didn’t have access to permanent housing.

Estimating that 80% of her guests would be homeless without their services, the Bestuls cap their week-long stays at $300, knowing it’s much closer to what they can afford.

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Colorado just passed one of the most restrictive gun safety laws in the country

Colorado just made it illegal to buy, sell, and manufacture most semi-automatic firearms without background checks and training, and puts limits on who qualifies for that training — it’s one of the most restrictive gun safety laws in state history, and in the country.

It also outlaws rapid-fire conversion devices, like bump stocks, that allow semi-automatic guns to operate like automatic weapons.

The bill’s sponsor, Colorado state Rep. Tom Sullivan, whose son was murdered in the Aurora theatre shooting, wanted the bill to go further with a complete assault weapons ban, but acknowledged this version of the bill will make communities safer and save lives.

Why is this good news? We know that one critical, proven, data-backed way to reduce gun violence and prevent mass shootings is by requiring background checks on all gun sales. This new law ensures a person looking to purchase this specific kind of firearm goes through two of them: one to get a permit for training, and another through the firearm dealer itself.

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While Congress passes the SAVE Act, one man wants to fix America’s low voter turnout with mobile phone voting

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Women athletes will be in the majority in the Olympics for the first time in history at the 2028 Los Angeles Games

The Paris 2024 Olympics were the first in history to achieve gender parity — as demonstrated in the (now outdated) image above. That progress is continuing at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, where women competitors will be in the majority at the Olympics for the first time in history.

The shift is driven by the Olympic women’s soccer tournament, which will have 16 teams represented for the women, and just 12 for the men — the reverse was true in Paris last year. It’s also a far cry from women’s soccer’s debut in 1996, when just eight teams participated — half of the men’s 16 teams at the time.

In Los Angeles in 2028, the core quota of athletes will be pushed to 50.7% women, and 49.3% men — though of course, that’s not accounting for each individual athlete’s gender identity.

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New Mexico made childcare free and lifted 120,000 families out of poverty

New Mexico is one of the poorest states in the U.S., and has long ranked worst in the nation for child wellbeing. But three years ago, it became the first U.S. state to provide free childcare to a majority of families — and its poverty rate began to fall.

The state made childcare free for families making up to 400% of the federal poverty level — about $124,000 for a family of four. About half of children in New Mexico qualified. It also raised wages for childcare workers, notably subsidizing its reimbursement rates on the actual cost of providing care, and lifting them out of poverty, too.

The result: one of the biggest changes in the country of the number of people falling below the federal poverty line and 120,000 fewer New Mexicans living in poverty.

Why is this good news? The U.S. ranks 40th on a UNICEF ranking of childcare policies in 41 high-income countries (only Slovakia is worse), with no federal, universal childcare and some of the highest childcare costs in the world. New Mexico sets an incredible example for what’s possible around the country.

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Despite Trump funding cuts, these national parks will still be free to visitors for National Park Week

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Sierra Leone has reduced maternal mortality rates by 74% since 2000

Maternal mortality rates have fallen by 74% in Sierra Leone since 2000, from 1,680 pregnant people dying for every 100,000 live births, to 440 per 100,000 in 2020.

While that is still heartbreakingly high — rates in the safest countries are around 100 times lower — this incredible progress, especially considering that in 2000, Sierra Leone had the highest maternal mortality rate in the world alongside South Sudan.

The country achieved this turnaround by focusing on expanding healthcare, increasing skilled medical staff retention, and improving access to medicines and treatments. In 2010, it rolled out free healthcare to both pregnant women and children.

🧦 More good: You may remember that John and Hank Green’s Awesome Socks Club and Awesome Coffee Club are building a maternal health hospital in Sierra Leone to help keep this progress going, too!

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A land bank is protecting Altadena community members from displacement by private investors

Mere months after it was devastated by wildfires, the neighborhood of Altadena has become the target of private developers and corporations that are offering cash for burned, vacant land — which happened in Lahaina, Maui, too.

But members of the community are fighting back to protect this historically Black neighborhood and keep its strong community-oriented roots intact — the Greenline Housing Foundation, founded by a nearby Pasadena resident, just purchased its first lot in Altadena with a grant.

The foundation acts as a “land bank” to hold the property until it’s eventually transferred for community use. It offers property owners who need to sell, but want the land to stay in the community, an alternative to the big corporations.

Why is this good news? Greenline’s founder says residents of Altadena are particularly vulnerable to “disaster capitalism” due to its high concentration of Black and Brown residents, as well as seniors, who aren’t able to access resources to protect themselves.

While the tragedy has displaced and isolated residents, Greenline’s efforts will help restore the vibrant community spirit of Altadena.

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In “an unlikely comeback,” one of the rarest parrot species in Brazil doubled in population — here’s how it happened

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A man with terminal cancer is on a “Dying to Serve” tour — traveling to all 50 states to volunteer

When 55-year-old Texas man Doug Ruch was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021, he was ready to fight, spending his life savings on treatment. Then, in January, he got the news that his cancer had metastasized and reached stage 4.

Faced with two options — undergoing chemotherapy to potentially extend his life for another two years, or face a life expectancy of 12-18 months — Ruch chose to “go out and live.”

On GoFundMe, Ruch said his “dying wish is to help as many people going through tough times as I can before I go,” and launched his “Dying To Serve” tour across North America, with a goal of visiting and volunteering in all 50 states.

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Plastic pollution along Australia’s beaches and coastlines is at its lowest level in a decade

A new survey found that plastic pollution on Australian coastlines dropped by 39% over the last decade. Additionally, there was a 16% increase in coastal areas with “no plastic debris at all.”

Three-quarters of the debris found on Australian beaches is plastic, according to the study’s co-author, with flexible plastics like food packaging presenting the most harm to wildlife.

The survey data will help identify “debris hotspots” and determine how land use influences pollution that ends up on coastlines. A key finding of the study was that areas with intensive land use and higher socioeconomic disadvantages have higher levels of pollution.

Why is this good news? The amount of plastic pollution entering marine environments is estimated to reach up to 53 million tonnes by 2030, so this news is encouraging, and proof that those estimations aren’t a done deal — we can develop strategies to prevent that waste from reaching coastlines at the source.

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More good news of the week —

​A study out of Germany showed how universal basic income showed a “strong positive impact” on mental health. And contrary to a common criticism of UBI, there were no significant changes in employment status over the three-year period; rather, people invested in both travel and savings, were more generous with donations, and were more social with others.

​The Guardian recreated an interactive climate future risk tool that was developed by FEMA and deleted by the Trump administration. FEMA’s searchable “Future Risk Index” was designed by government employees over several years to help cities, states, and businesses across the U.S. prepare for worsening storms, wildfires, and floods.

​Thanks to extensive conservation efforts, the lion population in an Indian state is likely to hit the 900 mark this year. With an ever-expanding territory in Gujarat, some estimates say the lion population could be as high as 1,500.

​Boston purchased 347 market-rate apartment units to convert them into affordable housing. The acquisition is part of a larger “anti-displacement” plan to undo widespread gentrification, preserve affordable housing, and assist residential homes and small businesses at risk of direct or economic displacement.

​Thousands of women with advanced breast cancer will have access to a “game-changing” breast cancer pill. In what experts call a “landmark moment,” a medicines watchdog approved the drug — which blocks an abnormal protein molecule that drives cancer cells to multiply, thereby helping slow or stop the spread of the disease — to be used on England’s National Health Service.

​Many of the world’s largest shipping nations agreed to impose a minimum fee for carbon emissions. Effectively the first global tax on greenhouse gas emissions will generate an estimated $11 billion to $13 billion in revenue annually, to be invested in green shipping technology, reward low-emission ships, and support developing countries so they aren’t left behind.

​Scientists developed the first fully biodegradable battery that can safely break down in soil or water within weeks. Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries that rely on rare earth metals and toxic chemicals, the new biodegradable battery is composed of natural materials such as cellulose, salt, and carbon-based electrodes.

​Paris is inscribing names of women scientists on the Eiffel Tower, joining 72 men celebrated since its construction in 1889. The initiative was spearheaded by a group of students and associations to recognize women scientists who have made significant contributions to the advancement of science, but whose names often remain unknown to the general public.

​Despite opposition, lawmakers extended protections designed to reduce the risk of microplastic pollution to shipping vessels, too. The European Commission estimates that over 50,000 and possibly up to 184,000 tonnes of plastic pellets – known as nurdles and used to produce everything from toys to plastic bottles – are inadvertently released into the environment each year.

​“Revolutionizing” early diagnosis, a new blood test could detect Parkinson’s disease before symptoms emerge. The simple test is also cost-effective, opening the door to more early detection of the disease, which subsequently helps “pave the way for timely interventions and improved patient outcomes.”

​The Afghanistan women’s cricket team is rejoining international competition with support from the sport’s governing body. The team has been seeking support since 2021, when dozens of its players relocated to Australia after the Taliban retook control of the country and enforced bans on women’s sports.

​A West Point graduate became the first woman to compete in the Army Rangers’ grueling “Best Ranger Competition.” First Lt. Gabrielle White and her teammate Capt. Seth Deltenre were among the 16 teams that made it through the three-day competition, where Ranger teams compete for accolades as the best of the elite military force.

​Portugal ended child marriage, raising the minimum legal age for marriage to 18 years old without exceptions. Previously, individuals aged 16 and 17 could marry with parental consent, but this legislative change aims to eliminate child, early, and forced marriages, ensuring that all individuals enter marriage as consenting adults.

​Ahead of a country-wide ban, the use of disposable vapes is already falling in the U.K. The percentage of people aged 16-24 who mainly use disposable vapes has dropped by nearly half in the last year, from 63% to 35%, and while it’s helping reduce litter, researchers believe people are just switching to refillable and rechargeable vapes, rather than quitting altogether.

​Countries in the WHO reached a “historic” agreement to prepare the world for future pandemics. Negotiated over three years, the proposed agreement outlines measures to both prevent future pandemics and strengthen global collaborating, like a global supply chain and logistics network, and stronger health system resilience and preparedness.

​New York City is cutting emissions and saving money by making vegetarian meals the default in public hospitals. The hospitals have now served more than 2 million plant-based meals with reports a 98% satisfaction rate, and the average vegetarian meal costs 59 cents less than meat, so the program has also saved the city more than $1 million.

​Underserved students in Tampa, Florida are receiving access to dental care right at school. A recent report from the American Dental Association found in 2023, 13% of the population reported cost barriers to dental care, compared to 4-5% for other healthcare services.