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In the headlines...

💸 GoFundMe created a hub to help people affected by the wildfires in Spokane, Washington, which have forced more than 65,000 people to evacuate.

🔥 All 14 people who were unaccounted for in the Spokane fires have officially been located, and there have been zero deaths so far.

🇺🇸 New Jersey announced that it has effectively eliminated veteran homelessness through rapid rehousing, street outreach, and emergency sheltering.

🐴 Monty Roberts, a “horse whisperer” famed for his gentle and humane training methods, died at age 91. (Gifted link)

Animals

Leonardo DiCaprio launched a new project dedicated to saving 100 of the world’s most endangered species

Leonardo DiCaprio just announced a new conservation endeavor called the Phoenix Species Project, an ambitious initiative dedicated to recovering 100 mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates, and plants that face imminent extinction.

All of these species live across a range of habitats and will require a hands-on approach from the same scientists, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and conservation leaders who have been safeguarding them from extinction for decades.

DiCaprio said that the goal of the project, which is funded in partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund, is twofold. By saving these species from extinction, they are also saving the “anchors” of the world’s forests, wetlands, and oceans.

Why is this good news? The Phoenix Species Project is not just looking to manage the decline of critically endangered animals; it aims to recover them to the point that a species can survive in the wild on its own, without any human intervention.

→ Read more​

More Good News

​Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger restored voting rights to 66,000 people with past felony convictions. The announcement comes ahead of the November referendum that would automatically restore the right to vote after release from incarceration.

​Texas broke its all-time electricity demand record twice in two days during a brutal heat wave, but the power grid held strong. The grid’s resilience was largely attributed to the state’s massive growth of solar generation, which at times exceeded 45% of all electricity being generated.

​Families in India living in slums were given the opportunity to transform one-room shacks into their dream homes. The Sanjaynagar Redevelopment Project engaged 937 Sanjaynagar residents in solving their own housing crisis.

​According to an independent safety study, Waymo robotaxis crashed 68% less often than human drivers. While the report aligned with company-reported safety data, it also highlighted gaps in how autonomous vehicle data is collected and compared.

​A California school district completed a 3.5 megawatt solar project that will save it $48 million in energy costs. Students use data from the solar arrays to study energy production and consumption patterns in math and science modules, while the project provides a pathway for STEM education and career exposure.

​Conservationists say Glen Affric in the Scottish Highlands has its first wild-born beavers in more than 400 years. A local charity said there were at least two babies known to have been born following the release of seven beavers in October and a family of four in February.

Governments doing good

For 60 years, people have mispronounced the world’s third-smallest country. It just reclaimed its traditional name

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good progress

More than 80% of rural households in India now have a potable water connection

Since August 2019, India’s government has been working to make sure all 193.6 million rural households in the country have access to reliable potable water through tap water connections.

At that time, only around 32.3 million rural households had tap water connections — it has since connected around 124.3 million more with tap water supply, bringing the total to 80% of households.

Having reliable access to safe, clean water is critical for sanitation, cooking, hydration, and more — and an estimated 2.2 billion people still don’t have access globally. India is making critical progress.

→ Read more​

More Good bits

🌈 It’s never too late to come out. Even at 95. (TikTok)

🦪 Scientists are curating the perfect mixtapes for oysters.

🐝 ​​​​Vets are making honeycomb house calls. (Gifted link)

🦌 A government project that’s ahead of schedule!

🐘 Rescuers saved a baby elephant in Thailand.

🍻 Cheers to Ms. Rachel! (Instagram)

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