Positive News & Stories of Hope

Ari Meermans

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
12,852
Reaction score
3,041
Location
Not where you last saw me.
Every day we're bombarded with bad news, disheartening stories, and the proliferation of frightening prognostications for our shared future. But . . . BUT there is good news out there of real causes for hope—they're hard to find sometimes, but they are there.

I'd like this to be a thread for sharing our go-to sources for positive news and stories of global efforts to advance social justice reforms and steps being taken to save the environment. We need these stories and we need to share them to help each other cope.


I'm "sticking" this thread temporarily; if there's community interest in building it further, I'll move it to the appropriate forum later. :)

_________________________________________________

Websites Dedicated to Positive News and Stories of Hope:

GOOD NEWS NETWORK:
"New Plant-Based Bottles and Cups Backed by Coca-Cola And Dannon Can Degrade in a Year"
"World’s Largest Open-Air Gallery Was Painted By People With Learning Disabilities—And It’s Breathtaking"
"Maasai Nature Conservancy Asks For Help To Fight Pandemic—And 100,000 People Answer"

POSITIVE NEWS (US): (US and around the world)
"Amsterdam to buy out young people's debt to offer 'new start'"
"'It’s a miracle': Helsinki's radical solution to homelessness"

POSITIVE.NEWS: (UK and around the world)
"London to be ‘overhauled’ to boost walking and cycling after lockdown"
"World Bee Day: five projects making a difference to bees this year"
"The projects offering free therapy for frontline healthcare workers"

Hopeful Stories From Around the Web and Around the World:

"53-Year-Old Tortoise Needs Home After Owner Dies of Coronavirus"150 emails and calls received from would-be adopters. Update pending.

Paying It Forward.

"How to Feed Crowds in a Protest or Pandemic? The Sikhs Know."

Organizations Offering Opportunities for Involvement:

CITIZEN SCIENCE:
Digivol – Volunteers digitizing data for research by participating in existing projects or proposing new ones. (Guardian article about one project by our own Helix: "Armchair expeditions: the addictive joy of dunnart spotting")
 
Last edited:

mccardey

Self-Ban
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 10, 2010
Messages
19,171
Reaction score
15,732
Location
Australia.
Citizen Science is a thing that's useful in lockdown - and our Helix had a lovely piece about it (with links!) in The Guardian the other morning...
 
Last edited:

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,320
Reaction score
25,292
Location
Snow Cave
Ooh, let me hunt the source for something I saw elseweb. This may take a little bit...

Maryn, with nothing but time

Edit: Well, shoot, I found the original story easily, but not the follow up. A 53-year-old tortoise was given to the Massachusetts SPCA when her owner died of COVID-19.

My internet is being extremely pokey (the heat, maybe?), but I read somewhere that they'd had thousands of people offer her a home. Maybe someone can find a link to the feel-good ending.
 
Last edited:

Ari Meermans

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
12,852
Reaction score
3,041
Location
Not where you last saw me.
Note: I revamped the first post to create an index of contributions to the thread.

Thank you so much for a great start, y'all.
 

MaeZe

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 6, 2016
Messages
12,748
Reaction score
6,435
Location
Ralph's side of the island.
Here's one from my neighborhood:

Saturday morning goodness
With all the heartbreak in this country today, we all could use some good-ness. Was at Bellevue Way/108th QFC this morning, and a guy in the self-check out forgot his wallet. The guy next to me didn't miss a beat - turned around and said "I got this," and paid for the groceries. Guy in the khaki shorts and dark blue shirt! Not only did you make that guy's day, you made mine too. Simple things, I know. #PayItForward
 
Last edited:

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 20, 2011
Messages
8,943
Reaction score
3,151
Location
In God I dwell, especially in Eugene OR
for free hot meals in NYC and other places

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

From the NYT:

[FONT=Verdana,sans-serif]https://www.sikhnet.com/news/how-feed-crowds-protest-or-pandemic-sikhs-know

The main place they list is in Queens, but there are Gurdwaras all over the country.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal


[/FONT]
 

MaeZe

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 6, 2016
Messages
12,748
Reaction score
6,435
Location
Ralph's side of the island.
Wisconsin family frees a bear with his head stuck in a huge plastic jar:

Twitter video
NBC15 News
@nbc15_madison
·
6h
CHECK THIS OUT: Brian, Tricia and Brady Hurt were fishing in Northern Wisconsin when they spotted this bear with a plastic container over his head. After a few attempts they were able to remove the container and the bear made it back to shore!

Video courtesy of Hurt Family.
One comment:
The worst and best of humanity in one video.
Not sure where the dangerous plastic jar came from.
 

frimble3

Heckuva good sport
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
11,553
Reaction score
6,362
Location
west coast, canada
You go, bear! He was swimming with his head stuck in a plastic barrel, probably can't see or breathe very well, but paddling along. He's (as far as he knows) attacked by a boat full of humans -he changes course, but keeps on paddling. They free his head, he keeps on going - I hope he made it home!
And, yes, kudos for the humans who took quite a chance to free that bear! At least they weren't the kind of people to video the strange event and just abandon the beast.
 
Last edited:

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 13, 2008
Messages
9,239
Reaction score
2,316
Location
Oregon, USA
Positive get-together of authors, even in the turbulent Pacific northwest.

Jeff Pitts is late getting chapters to me, 'cause he's (1) proofreading the galley of his second publication, and (2) he's camping with family at a nearby lake campground in Washington state.

J-J-on-at-Mayfield-Lake.jpg


Meanwhile, Stacia Leigh from the Seattle area sent me two chapters and a photo of her kayaking dogs on Mayfield Lake in central Washington state.

Stacia-George-s-dogs.jpg


Nah! Couldn't possibly be the same lake. It was! And two authors I work for masked up and got together around an evening campfire to roast their editor.

I hope more pictures at 11:00. :e2photo: But if anyone wrote such a coincidence, I'd advise deleting it. :greenie
 
Last edited:

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,320
Reaction score
25,292
Location
Snow Cave
Oh, wow, Chase! That's awesome. Thanks for sharing it with us.
 

Rolynathus Hale

Registered
Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
I found Amazon Kendel to be a good source for publicating your material for free. Kendel Publishing is really a cool site and they have Kendel Vella in beta that allows writers to stitch together "episodes" into a compilation. It's stuff you can get paid for too so I thought I'd share. 😁
 

lauramaria

Registered
Joined
Jul 5, 2021
Messages
4
Reaction score
2
Positive get-together of authors, even in the turbulent Pacific northwest.

Jeff Pitts is late getting chapters to me, 'cause he's (1) proofreading the galley of his second publication, and (2) he's camping with family at a nearby lake campground in Washington state.

J-J-on-at-Mayfield-Lake.jpg


Meanwhile, Stacia Leigh from the Seattle area sent me two chapters and a photo of her kayaking dogs on Mayfield Lake in central Washington state.

Stacia-George-s-dogs.jpg


Nah! Couldn't possibly be the same lake. It was! And two authors I work for masked up and got together around an evening campfire to roast their editor.

I hope more pictures at 11:00. :e2photo: But if anyone wrote such a coincidence, I'd advise deleting it. :greenie
Campers, dogs, and the Pacific Northwest! I have hearts for eyes right now. What an amazing writing retreat. Is this open to all writers?? (For my own future reference)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Elenitsa

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,320
Reaction score
25,292
Location
Snow Cave
Most of the time, the Next Door app is handy for finding lost pets, competent service companies, and one's fellow racists.

But today I saw that overnight a man posted that he has too much time on his hands and would like to do interior work, like painting and minor plumbing repairs, for the cost of supplies or parts. He's a longtime jack of all trades and doesn't need the money as much as he needs to keep busy and feel he's contributing.

Several people responded, of course, including a man who runs a repair cafe every week at the library, where people who can fix stuff gather with their tools and the locals bring in what's broken that they hope can be repaired, mostly small appliances like vacuums, lamps, or space heaters.

Both pretty neat, eh?
 

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,320
Reaction score
25,292
Location
Snow Cave
And again, from NextDoor: Someone's cat went missing for nine days. The weather has been very cold--yesterday's high was 4F. This morning, early, the cat was meowing at the door wanting to be let in.

Maryn, who would like a brace of cats, please
 

books_are_amazing

Registered
Joined
Sep 23, 2022
Messages
24
Reaction score
65
It's been really rainy and gray here for a bunch of months but we get our occasional day of sunshine and they're just so beautiful. Just thought I would share that. I think it's a good way to keep going, to know there will always be a light at some point.
 

Fi Webster

May 21-25 waxing crescent 🌒
Banned
Flounced
Kind Benefactor
Registered
Joined
Jul 7, 2022
Messages
3,708
Reaction score
5,393
Age
69
Location
Texas originally, now living in Maryland (DC area)
Website
www.ipernity.com
Fun froggy upbeat story from my fave site for positive news, David Byrne's Reasons to be Cheerful:
Once a year, as amphibians scramble across America’s roads to spawn, a devoted army of volunteers emerges to shepherd them pond-ward unscathed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maryn

Friendly Frog

Snarkenfaugister
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 23, 2011
Messages
4,067
Reaction score
4,865
Location
Belgium
It's a cool thing, eh? It's been a stalwart event at several places here for years. Known as the 'Toad Ferry' (Paddenoverzet) it's run by one of the big nature conservancy organisations and peopled with volunteers. They try to predict when good migration nights happen (+9°C and rains) and get people organised through their newsletter.

In concert with local councils certain roads get netting at busy amphibian crossroads so the amphibians get channeled into buckets where they're counted, identified and released at the other side. It's a good method to keep an eye on amphibian numbers. And education as the public can join in.

I've been meaning to give it a go one year (Frogs! Toads! Newts!) but my agenda keeps getting shuttered at the best nights.
 

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,320
Reaction score
25,292
Location
Snow Cave
I meant to post this soon after it happened, but you all know what happens to good intentions sometimes.

Anyway, a small amount of backstory. I love the novel To Kill a Mockingbird and have read it many times. The movie adaptation with Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, Mary Badham as his daughter Scout, Brock Peters as the accused Tom Robinson, and Robert Duvall in his film debut as Boo Radley, is brilliantly done and I love it, too.

Mr. Maryn and I had purchased airplane and theatre tickets and made dinner and hotel reservations--we were going to see the play on Broadway, starring Jeff Daniels in the Atticus Finch role. It didn't happen, of course. COVID turned Broadway dark. I was disappointed, but it was nothing compared to what people were going through during the pandemic.

Last month, the area theatre that hosts the touring companies of Broadway shows did something rare: they had a non-musical. For adults! Richard Thomas was playing Atticus. So I got to see it, years later.

And it was good. Very good. But my favorite aspect, tiny compared to the script and performances, was that the cantankerous Mrs. Dubose was played by Mary Badham, who played Scout in the movie. This tickled me enormously.

Maryn, recommending you see the play if you get the chance
 

mccardey

Self-Ban
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 10, 2010
Messages
19,171
Reaction score
15,732
Location
Australia.
Here we go (from the Guardian). Rewilding for the win :)

A baby beaver has been photographed in London for the first time in 400 years, 18 months after an initiative began to reintroduce the species to the capital.

Enfield council began London’s beaver reintroduction programme last year as part of a wider rewilding and natural flood-management project.


The semi-aquatic rodents were hunted to extinction in the 16th century during the Elizabethan era as they were predominantly killed for their fur and meat.
 
Last edited:

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,320
Reaction score
25,292
Location
Snow Cave
The baby beaver is very nice!