Good News!

7 Positive Environmental
Stories From June 2022

Carol Law | June 30,  2022 | 3 min read

7 Good Environmental News Stories From The Past Month That Will Make You Smile 

Summer is in full swing and so is positivity! With everything that's happening in the world right now (and in the US this past week), stories like these help remind us that there's plenty of good in the world. Indeed, if you look for bright spots, you'll find them — including farming practices to increase health benefits, hope for threatened species, and easier ways to clean water. Read on to learn about the positive things that happened for nature and the environment in the month of June! 🌿

soil

Regenerative farming can improve soil health

Researchers studied the nutritional value of crops grown using typical farming practices, and found that they contained less vitamins and minerals than crops grown with regenerative practices. A similar comparison of soil health was done, showing that the soil on regenerative farms was significantly healthier. This study also showed signs that livestock raised on regenerative farms were healthier than those raised on farms using conventional practices. In other words: regenerative farming works and is a powerful solution to improving food security and soil health over time — and confirms that sustainable agriculture is a vital climate change solution!

public transportation

Working towards affordable and climate-friendly transportation in boston

In the 9 months since her historic victory, Mayor Michelle Wu is making good on her promise to improve the affordability and sustainability of public transportation in the city of Boston. Learning from her own experiences as a mother and commuter, she has implemented free public transportation on 3 bus lines that serve low-income areas as part of a broader focus on affordability and tackling carbon emissions. This is just one part of her overall plans to make Boston the greenest city in America!

woman planting trees in thailand

Planting 375,000 trees in thailand for watershed restoration and human rights 

We're planting 375,000 trees in a remote region of Thailand, near the border of Myanmar, where a group of marginalized ethnic minorities struggle to farm on degraded hillside plots. Commonly referred to as the hilltribes, many are refugees of civil strife in Myanmar and have been in Thailand for generations — but often aren’t recognized as citizens. With the help of our amazing on-the-ground partner, the hill tribes are using reforestation as a means to restore degraded ecosystems, earn income, and secure recognition from the Thai government. Want to help? Join us in supporting reforestation in Thailand today!

stingray swimming

Giant stingray Weighing Over 600 pounds found in freshwater river

In a freshwater river located in Northern Cambodia, the largest freshwater fish ever recorded has been found! Zeb Hogan heard about the discovered stingray while on a decades-long search for the world's largest river giant after finding the largest catfish in the Mekong River over 15 years ago. The fisherman who originally caught the stingray believed it was too large and that he had stumbled upon a new species. For many, this finding of a giant stingray gives hope for the many species of megafish that have been threatened by climate change and the degradation of aquatic habitats.

trash pickup on a beach

Vacation full of conservation

In a marked change of pace from typical vacations, regenerative tourism is becoming increasingly popular. These vacations are planned around giving back to popular areas, and many travelers choose to give back in the form of habitat restoration. As an added bonus, this enriches their experience, giving them a chance to learn more about the location and region. Some participants have said they felt a deeper connection to their vacation spot and miss the meaningful work after returning home.

Cooking oil in a pan

Cooking oil can help clean up polluted water

The current methods used to remove heavy metals from water are cost and energy-intensive. To address this, researchers have developed a more affordable and sustainable method: using peanut and sunflower oil waste. Impressively, this method was 99.89% effective!

mining operation

Switzerland is working to preserve Indigenous reserves

There's strong evidence that a majority of the 24.5 tons of gold imported to Switzerland in 2021 was illegally mined. These illegal mining operations are resulting in major deforestation in the Amazon. Recently, Swiss refineries have pledged to remove illegally mined gold in order to help protect the Amazon. Hopefully other refineries will take note and follow suit!

Hungry for more positivity? We've got plenty more good news stories from the past year. And if you're feeling inspired to create some good news of your own, consider planting a tree today! 

Longleaf Pine Main Image
Longleaf Pine Restoration
Longleaf Pine Tree Planter
Plant Trees Where They're Needed Most
Longleaf Pine Landscape
Longleaf Pine Planting
Longleaf Pine Main Image
Longleaf Pine Restoration
Longleaf Pine Tree Planter
Plant Trees Where They're Needed Most
Longleaf Pine Landscape
Longleaf Pine Planting

Plant Trees Where They're Needed Most

As the need for reforestation is global and ever-changing, we feature where trees are most needed now. This project is currently supporting Longleaf Pine Restoration. Learn more

With your help, we will:

  • Protect wildlife habitat and increase biodiversity
  • Restore essential watersheds for soil stability and erosion control
  • Sequester carbon in the biomass of the forests through climate stability
  • Longleaf pine forests are among the most biodiverse in North America and provide habitat for numerous threatened and endangered species. Longleaf pine forests are well-adapted to a warming climate as longleaf pine is a resilient species that is fire-dependent, drought-tolerant, and long-lived. Reforestation of longleaf pine ecosystems- to increase, maintain, and enhance the species- has been identified as a priority area within America's Longleaf Range Wide Conservation Plan. 🌲
  • Our longleaf pine reforestation project will restore habitats, control soil erosion, and sequester carbon in an effort to stabilize the climate in the area. Not only will wildlife benefit from the clean air and water provided by the planted trees, but the surrounding community will, too. This project will work with a variety of landowners whose responsible forest management and stewardship will only further increase the benefits for species residing on the lands. Some of the most notable species that will benefit from habitat restoration include gopher tortoises, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and eastern indigo snakes
  • A personalized tree certificate (see gallery) to say thanks for your donation. We'll also send you updates about our Longleaf Pine Restoration project, so you can track the impact your trees are having on the ground!
  • We always plant a mix of diverse, native species from local nurseries. This project is working to replenish longleaf forests, so the native species grown in the nurseries will mainly be longleaf pine, but also include shortleaf pine and loblolly pine.

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