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The Best Positive News We’re Celebrating This Week —

Today, Marcus Freeman will become the first Black head coach in the college football national championship

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman will make history today as the first Black head coach to make it to the college football national championship as his team takes on Ohio State.

Freeman acknowledged the historic moment, but said the attention was misplaced: “... to me the attention should be on MLK Day and what he did for our country and the progress he made for equal rights and progress for all people, the courage he had as an individual to stand for what he believes in.”

And Freeman feels that way when it comes to football too, wanting his ascension to the biggest game in college football to do nothing else but blaze a trail for others.

Why is this good news? Ultimately, what Freeman is saying is exactly what Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is all about: progress in creating a world of equal opportunity, freedom, and justice for all. While his milestone is significant, Freeman also demonstrates a commitment to continuing King’s legacy on MLK Day and beyond.

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Japan just rolled out the world’s first toilet paper made from used disposable diapers

The Shibushi Osaki Roll is the world’s first toilet paper made from recycled diapers — and it’s available to purchase at seven stores in southwest Japan’s Kyushu.

Spearheaded by two municipalities that share a waste management system, they collected 98 tons of diapers and other used hygiene products to be transformed into rolls of toilet paper.

Why is this good news? The environmental impact of both cutting down trees for toilet paper and disposable diaper waste is significant. Around 712 million trees are felled yearly to produce virgin pulp toilet paper. Meanwhile, disposable diapers are the third-largest single consumer item in landfills, taking an estimated 500 years to decompose.

This is a new frontier for a toilet paper alternative and could prove viability on a much larger, global scale.

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Hope Walz shares how she spent Inauguration Day, her favorite nonprofits, what she’s up to next — and the three things giving her hope right now

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In the last 30 years, nearly everyone in Bangladesh has gained access to basic electricity

In 1991, less than 15% of people in Bangladesh had access to electricity ​​— now, almost everyone does.

In the past 30 years, more than 100 million Bangladeshi people have gained access to electricity, allowing them to light their homes, use appliances, and use phones and the internet.

While the milestone has been reached for basic lighting and charging a phone for at least four hours a day, more than half also have a higher tier of access.

This is good progress towards reaching the UN’s goal of universal access to at least basic electricity globally by 2030 — which about 9 in 10 people worldwide now have.

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In 2024, France’s power grid was 95% fossil-free for the first time — driven primarily by nuclear and renewables

Low-carbon sources made up more than 95% of France’s annual power production for the first time in 2024. Record output from renewable sources alongside rising nuclear power drove the surge.

The country’s nuclear production grew 13% to a five-year high, making up 67% of its total energy generation. Renewables followed, with a record 28% of the total, driven largely by hydropower, which reached its highest levels since 2013.

While solar only accounted for 4.3% of the total, it was still more than natural gas. And gas, coal, and fuel oil reached its lowest level since the early 1950s.

Why is this good news? The impacts of global warming caused by the burning of fossil fuels are apparent — in unprecedented wildfires, ecosystem degradation, and more. And climate scientists agree: every bit of warming we can prevent will stop even more catastrophic impacts from happening.

While we need to see this kind of news on a global scale — it’s proof that fossil-free energy is achievable.

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As the LA wildfires continue to burn, people are still coming together to help victims — with immediate and long-term relief

With high winds and low humidity set to hit LA again this week, fire crews are working tirelessly to contain the blazes. The Palisades fire currently sits at around 63% containment, and the Eaton fire around 89% — and people in the area have been warned to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice.

The need for relief — both immediate and long-term — is still vast. Thankfully, people — from middle schoolers to celebrities, millionaires to vice presidents — are coming together to provide it:

• Offering Cameos in “any language,” Tony Hawk has raised thousands to support World Central Kitchen’s wildfire relief efforts.
• One day after she left office, former Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Los Angeles to thank fire crews and volunteer with World Central Kitchen.​
• ​Vanessa Bryant is leading an effort to donate thousands of articles of clothing and sneakers — and prepare for ongoing recovery efforts.
• The owner of the LA Clippers and his wife made a $15 million donation toward addressing immediate needs like food and shelter, particularly for the Altadena community.
• They’re also organizing FireAid, a benefit concert on January 30 with a lineup that will include Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Jelly Roll, and more.
• ​The Weeknd announced a $1 million donation to various organizations including the LAFD Foundation, GoFundMe’s Wildfire Relief Fund, and LA Regional Bank.
• ​Riot Games provided a generator to a fire station that lost power and donated meals from its employee cafeteria to firefighters.
• ​A $12 million LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund opened applications to provide emergency relief to artists and arts workers impacted by the fires.
• With nothing more than a desire to help victims of the LA fires, a high school student in California started a fundraiser that’s raised thousands of dollars.​
• Partnering with GoFundMe and the Black Music Action Coalition, Flavor Flav launched a fundraiser to help Black families displaced by the fires.

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A Danish city paid residents to return their to-go coffee cups — and collected 735,000 in a single year

To reduce the amount of disposable coffee cup waste, the Danish city of Aarhus launched a three-year trial project in January 2024 to get people to return them instead — and it paid them to.

Initially introduced through partnerships with local cafes that began offering returnable, reusable cups, the largest consumer behavior change came during a week-long local festival where more people were exposed — and a new habit was born.

Far exceeding its goal of 500,000 in the first year, 735,000 cups were returned last year, preventing 14 tonnes of single-use plastic from incineration and CO2 emissions. This year, it wants to double that and collect 1.5 million cups.

Why is this good news? The program had an 88% return rate, which means each cup would be reused 44 times.

While initially tested on a small scale, these kinds of programs provide proof of concept that initiatives like this are genuinely popular and adoptable — and it could be coming to more cities in Europe.

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​☕️ Related good news: Another alternative, a foldable to-go coffee cup is helping get rid of plastic lids for good.

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In a record-breaking year, global electric vehicle sales were up 25% in 2024

Sales of fully electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles rose by 25% globally to over 17 million cars.

December was China’s fourth consecutive month of record EV sales. Thanks to incentives and emissions targets, Britain became Europe’s largest battery-electric market in 2024, overtaking Germany.

The record year was driven largely by China, which sold 11 million total EVs in 2024, as well as Europe, the U.S., and Canada.

Why is this good news? We now know that once EVs become common on our roadways, they will quickly start to cut emissions and improve air quality in our cities — good news for people and the planet.

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The first 3D-printed affordable housing project in Europe was just completed — and it only took 12 days

In Ireland, a first-of-its-kind social housing project has been built from the ground up, using 3D printing to save both time and money. It’s the first 3D-printed social housing project in all of Europe.

The 3D printing part of the building process took just 12 days, and the company behind the build said it could be completed even faster by simply swapping the printing hose.

Conventional construction methods usually require more than 200 days, according to COBOD, meaning this method could be transformative in quickly scaling affordable housing options.

Why is this good news? As cities and countries all over the world face housing crises, the need for affordable housing options is urgent. Countries like Sweden and Germany are also experimenting with the benefits of 3D-printed solutions, and it could become the standard for building quality affordable housing to address shortages in a cost- and time-efficient way.

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​✏️ Related good news: Faster, cheaper, and greener than regular construction, 3D printing could help African countries close their education gaps.

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A woman in North Carolina is using social media to reunite victims of Hurricane Helene with their lost photographs

After Hurricane Helene devastated communities throughout North Carolina, one woman was digging through the debris at her friend’s destroyed home and found a handful of photographs.

Heartbroken that these memories were now lost to their owners, Taylor Schenker decided to create a virtual lost-and-found on Instagram to reconnect the photos she’d collected with their owners.

She collected around one hundred photos herself and got another one hundred from others, including search and rescue teams.

With new photos added daily, the page is filled with school portraits, holiday cards, family vacations, and more — and comments from people claiming their photos.

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More good news of the week —

​Ahead of MLK Day, King’s daughter called on people to “do more than quote King.” CEO of The King Center, Bernice King said that so often, people tell her they’re doing something to further or honor her father’s dream and work, but their actions or motivations don’t always reflect his message.

​A city in Arkansas just voted to honor Martin Luther King Jr. by renaming a bridge in his honor (video). Presented by Springdale’s mayor, Doug Sprouse, the resolution was met with support from community leaders and local residents — and was celebrated by the Northwest Arkansas chapter of the NAACP.

​More than 50 new United States citizens were welcomed in Atlanta in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Hailing from 27 different countries, the naturalization ceremony happened the day before King’s birthday at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.

​A city bus in Atlanta unveiled a commemorative bus honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. King famously called urban public transportation “a genuine civil rights issue,” underscoring its importance in providing access to opportunities.

​A new AI tool that analyzes the placenta after birth could help reduce infections, improving neonatal and maternal care. The tool could be particularly helpful in home care and in remote regions where hospitals and clinics don’t have the diagnostic resources to detect infections early.

​Ecuador’s Constitutional Court ruled that coastal marine ecosystems have rights of nature, including the right to restoration. The law establishes that nature has the right to restoration and that the government will take precautions and restrictions against people harming or destroying ecosystems.

​A Massachusetts community threw a free group wedding for queer couples, organized by more than 100 local vendors. Following the November election, the vendors noticed many couples were moving up their weddings out of fear that gay marriage would be overturned — and the Queerly Beloved Ball came together.

A Chicago man invented “backpack beds” — and is on a mission to give one to every unhoused person in his city. Each Backpack Bed costs about $124, but a 2018 impact study for the invention found that each one provides $3,319 in community savings in health, justice, and employment.

​A group of trained foster parents are helping make Rwanda an orphanage-free country. The Malayika Murinzi, or “Guardian Angels” are transforming the lives of hundreds of children who cannot be reunited with their biological parents.

​After two therapy dogs were introduced to help students learn, first-grade reading scores improved. Providing a calming presence for students or support for readers nervous to read aloud, the dogs visit classes, small group lessons, and counseling sessions — and teachers report better focus and behavior among students.

​After enduring years of endometriosis pain, an engineer developed an app to people manage pain and find support. Endometriosis causes debilitating periods, increased risk of infertility, a wide range of symptoms that impact quality of life, and has a reputation for being misdiagnosed or not taken seriously in the medical community.

​With no age limit, a program in Virginia is helping former foster youth get a degree. Great Expectations is in every community college in Virginia and has spent the last 15 years providing financial and emotional support for students, no matter how long they’ve been out of the system.

​In a “glimmer of hope,” a surge in sexually transmitted infections is slowing for the first time in decades. Experts credit expanded testing in nontraditional settings like ERs and churches, funding for a workforce of disease intervention specialists, changes in sexual behavior, as well as a new treatment.

​Brazil appointed a veteran climate diplomat with no direct ties to the fossil fuel industry to be the next COP president. COP30, the UN’s annual climate change conference, will be hosted in the Amazon, and for the first time in 3 years, its president (who plays a crucial role in shaping the agenda and brokering deals) will not hail from the fossil fuel sector.

​A pioneering new treatment can treat more types of cancer, has fewer side effects, and takes less than a second. The treatment could replace conventional radiotherapy methods, which can treat tumors with increasing precision, but still can have damaging and even deadly side effects.

​Palisades Fire firefighters are taking part in a first-of-its-kind cancer study. Firefighting was officially classified as a carcinogenic profession, and this new study will track how the extreme conditions currently happening in the Los Angeles area increase firefighters’ risk of cancer.