We all need a little good news every now and then; in fact, our health depends on it, with research suggesting that it helps to reduce stress, and even makes us feel more inclined to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Just because these stories rarely make the front page, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of good happening in our world, or a lot of good people working in it.
Here are some stories that highlight the progress we’re making to preserve the environment.
AI is fighting wildfires
With an increase in wildfires as a result of global warming, great patches of land are lost every year. At the same time, human lives are put at risk every time a fire needs to be brought under control.
Dr Ilkay Altintas, a research scientist at the University of California San Diego, has worked to develop a system called Firemap, which aims to reduce wildfire response times. Firemap makes use of a system of AI-powered mountaintop cameras to identify the location from a distance. Combining this information with localised weather data and video footage from aircraft on the scene, computer modellers can build predictive models on the trajectory of the fire, preventing its spread and providing a better understanding of what needs to be done to repair the damage.
A thought-to-be-extinct tree is rediscovered in Brazil
For more than 200 years, a small species of holly was considered lost. But just recently, in an area that was once a dense, tropical
forest, an exploration expedition led by conservation group Re:wild discovered the tree alive and growing in the city of Igarassu, in Brazil’s Pernambuco state.
“Nature surprises us,” Juliana Alencar, a local researcher and the project assistant for the expedition, said in a statement. “Finding a species that hasn’t been heard of in nearly two centuries doesn’t happen every day. It was an incredible moment.”
Plans for launching a breeding programme for the species is now under way, and the team is hoping to organise additional searches to find more individuals of the same species.
New Zealand commits to banning forever chemicals
New Zealand is one of the first countries to instate a ban on the use of PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, also known as forever chemicals), in cosmetics by 2027. Because these chemicals tend not to break down over time, they can cause a build-up in both the human body and the environment.
Research has linked these chemicals to thyroid problems, organ damage, certain types of cancer and other issues. The chemicals have infiltrated water systems and can also be found in items such as cellphones, paint, mattresses and food packaging.
Circular gardens employed to address desertification Desertification is a major problem in the areas surrounding the Sahara. With the desert growing at a rate of around 48km per year, circular gardens are being implemented in regions such as Senegal, as part of the Great Green Wall project.
The gardens are designed to ensure that water – an immeasurably precious resource in the area – is distributed to all plants in the garden evenly. The project combines traditional desert farming methods with contemporary agricultural knowledge. Not only will these gardens host more life forms in the desert, but
they’ll also supply local communities with nourishment and a source of income.
