You all loved our running list of positive news that kept a glimmer of hope alive in the shitshow that was 2021. So, it’s back! Bookmark this article to find some optimism and inspiration from all the good news stories happening in 2022 – proof that progress is possible, even when the challenges seem insurmountable and odds seems stacked against us.
January
Honduras Elects its First Female President
Xiomara Castro has been sworn in as the first female president of Honduras this month. It has generated hope for a new era for women in the country – Honduras has the highest rate of femicide in Latin America. Castro is expected to lift the country’s ban on emergency contraceptives, legalise abortion in the case of rape, and put forward proposals for shelters for survivors of domestic violence, more inclusive economic development and sexual education programs in schools. Read more on The Guardian.
Cheetah Returns To India After 70 Years of Extinction
After becoming extinct in 1952, the ‘Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India’ will return the big cats to India. 50 cheetahs will be imported from various parks, areas and reserves over five years, with the aim to breed them in safe habitats across their historical range and manage them as a metapopulation. The Environment Ministry also plans to use cheetahs to enhance capacity for carbon sequestration as a mitigation tool towards climate change. Read more on The Hindu.
Renewable Energy Rises Ahead Of Coal In New Report
A new report from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), shows that renewable energy accounted for more than a third of electricity generated in the National Electricity Market in the final quarter of 2021 – with a record-high average of 34.9%. These numbers suggest that renewable energy is moving rapidly towards becoming the largest contributor to Australia’s energy generation — putting pressure on coal-fired power stations. Black coal fell to its lowest seasonal average share for the December quarter since 1998. Read more on The Age.
Denmark Building World’s First “Energy Island”
Denmark has announced plans to build an artificial landmass off the country’s western coast to channel green electricity from a network of wind turbines and transmit it to the mainland. The electricity will be enough to power 3 million homes in 2030, increasing up to a capacity of 10 million homes – 1.5 times the Danish population’s energy needs. It’s part of Denmark’s pledge made at COP26 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from 1990 levels, and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Read more on Discover Magazine.
February
Report Shows Australian Companies With Diverse Board Less Likely to Fail
A new report from Purpose Bureau examining the failure rate of Australian businesses in 2021 found that companies with single-gender boards were 37% more likely to fail. The report had a huge sample size – examining almost 1 million businesses – which gives the findings significant validity. Purpose Bureau CEO Nick Kamper said it’s the findings “clearly suggests that gender diversity in leadership leads to better business outcomes.” Read more on Women’s Agenda.
Ketanji Brown Jackson is First Black Woman Nominated as US Supreme Court Judge
US President Joe Biden kept his election promise by nominating Ketanji Brown-Jackson as a Supreme Court justice. Brown Jackson is expected to be confirmed by the Senate in March, at which time she will become the first ever Black woman to become a Supreme Court judge – she will also become only the third Black person, and sixth woman to be appointed. Once she is confirmed, four out of nine judges will be women – another first. Read more about the significance of Brown Jackson’s nomination on The Conversation.
March
World Leaders Agree To Draw Up Legally Binding Treaty Against Plastic Waste
In what many have called a truly historic event, world presidents, environment ministers, and other officials from 173 nations have agreed to create a legally binding treaty to combat plastics. Currently only 9% of plastic waste is recycled – approximately 7 billion tonnes of the plastic produced between 1950 and 2017 is now waste. The resolution, passed at the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, called for the negotiation of a treaty encompassing the “whole lifetime” of plastics, from manufacture to disposal, during the next two years. This UN environment assembly resolution is being called the biggest climate deal since the 2015 Paris accord. Read more on The Guardian.
Marvel Introduces Its First-Ever Muslim Superhero
The trailer for Marvel’s live-action series ‘Ms. Marvel’ introduces Kamala Khan, the first Muslim superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Iman Vellani plays the Pakistani-American high school student, who has to deal with racial microaggressions, adolescent anguish, and — surprise, surprise — superpowers. The trailer and coming show launch is already being praised for bringing much-needed South Asian representation to the MCU, and we’re here for it! Ms Marvel premieres on June 8th. Read more on GQ.
Malaria Treatment for Children Approved
Australian officials have approved a medicine, Tafenoquine, that treats a type of malaria found in children. The treatment goes after the parasite to offset first symptoms, like fever, headache, and chills and is 95% effective at preventing recurrence. In 2018, the FDA authorised the use of Tafenoquine in people aged 16+, and now the TAG has approved it for use in kids aged two to 15. This is an important first step, and it will now be submitted for approval in nine malaria-endemic countries. Read more on the NY Times.
April
Victorian Gov Announces $31m Land Restoration Plan
The Victorian government plans to restore an area five times the size of Melbourne as part of a new scheme to increase conservation on private land. The scheme, known as BushBank, will fund organizations and traditional owner groups to work with private landowners to restore habitat and increase carbon storage. The scheme is an effort towards the government’s target to restore 200,000 hectares of private land for conservation as part of the 20-year biodiversity strategy it launched in 2017. Read more on Mirage News.
Digital Platforms Ban Climate Change Misinformation
Pinterest and Twitter announced a new policy prohibiting users from sharing climate misinformation. Head of Policy at Pinterest, Sarah Bromma said the new policy reflects how the company has “a very particular mission to bring people inspiration.” Bromma told CNN Business: “We repeatedly heard from [climate experts] that climate misinformation, like climate denial narratives, is causing real harm”. Twitter’s official announcement said: “We believe that climate denialism shouldn’t be monetized on Twitter, and that misrepresentative ads shouldn’t detract from important conversations about the climate crisis”. Read more about Pinterest’s policies here and Twitter’s policies here.
Indonesia Passes Bill to Tackle Sexual Violence after 6 Years of Negotiations
Six years after negotiations began, Indonesia’s parliament has passed a groundbreaking Bill to combat sexual abuse by providing a legal framework for victims to seek justice. Sexual abuse accusations have been on the rise in Indonesia and fears around the treatment of victims by police and the justice system have stopped many from coming forward. The new law includes jail penalties of up to 12 years for crimes of physical sexual assault, both within and outside of marriage; 15 years for sexual exploitation; nine years for forced marriage, including child marriage; and four years for disseminating non-consensual sexual content. Convicted abusers must also pay reparations and that authorities must offer victims counseling. Read more on Al Jazeera.
UK Introduces Four Day Work Week Trial
Dreams really do come true! Sixty companies and organisations in the UK have signed up for the biggest ever four-day week trial, which will run from June 2022 to January 2023. The trial is being organised by 4 Day Week Global, along with think tank Autonomy, and researchers at Cambridge University, Oxford University and Boston College. Researchers will assess the impact of the decreased hours on productivity, employee well-being, the environment, and gender equality. In 2016, a similarly significant four-day work week study was conducted in Iceland and was hailed an “overwhelming success” with results show reduce stress, reduced risk of of burnout, and no negative impact on productivity. The UK trial will run alongside similar pilot schemes taking place in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Read more on EuroNews.
May
Milingimbi Woman Makes AFL History With Yolngu Matha Language Commentary
Sylvia Nulpinditj, who is a Milingimbi woman, made AFL history as the first woman to commentate a Premiership round match in a traditional language. Nulpinditj joined the Yolngu Radio broadcast team for the round 11 game between Gold Coast Suns and Hawthorn Hawks, commentating in traditional Yolngu Matha language. The milestone marks the fourth time an AFL match was broadcast in Yolngu Matha language. Read more on AFL.com.au.
Tasmania Becomes Carbon Negative
Researchers say Tasmania has made a “remarkable achievement” to become one of the first parts of the world to become carbon negative. Scientists from Australian National University (ANU) and Griffith University say the change in carbon footprint can be attributed to the reduction in native forest logging. “Most people don’t realise that when you log native forests, it has a huge carbon footprint,” Professor Mackey from Griffith University said. “And when you change the forest management to reduce the amount of native forest logging you use, you avoid very significant amounts of CO2 emissions.” This news may encourage other states like New South Wales and Victoria to follow suit in moving towards carbon negative goals. Read more on the ABC.
US Soccer Equalizes Pay Between Men and Women
After six years of litigation over equal pay, the U.S. Soccer Federation has made history by agreeing to pay its men’s and women’s teams equally – making the U.S. the first country to do so in the sport. The deal comes from a push by players on the far more successful US Women’s team (including superstar players Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe) who lead the team to a Women’s World Cup championship in 2019. Players received a $110,000 bonus for winning the 2019 World Cup; meanwhile the U.S. men’s team would have received $407,000 had they won in 2018 (they did not even qualify for the competition). In response to the news, President Joe Biden tweeted “I commend the U.S. Soccer for agreeing to do the right thing. Let’s keep up the fight until we close the gender pay gap in every industry.” Read more on AP News.
NITV Moves to 12 Broadcast Signal
National Indigenous Television (NITV) will now be able to broadcast live into 12 markets nationally – expanding its reach across the five metro and seven regional markets. This means TV audiences across the country will be able to watch live events at the simultaneously in all time zones, and NITV will be able to deliver more targeted programming specific to each state or region. Tanya Denning-Orman, Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman and Director Indigenous Content at SBS said that “Now, from Noongar Country in the west, Wiradjuri in the east, Yolngu in the north, and everything in between and all around, it’s exciting to continue improving the services we provide for our diverse audiences, whatever part of the country they’re tuning in from.” Read more on Mumbrella.
June
Tasmania Raises The Minimum age for Detention
Tasmania will raise the minimum age of detention from 10 to 14 as part of their reform of the Youth Justice System in the state. Roger Jaensch, Tasmanian Minister for Education, Children and Youth said: “We know that detention does not support rehabilitation or reduce the likelihood of re-offending for younger children. Early exposure to a detention environment can also further traumatise young people, expose them to problem behaviours of older detainees and increase criminal networks.” As part of the reforms, Tasmania plans to focus on prevention and early intervention strategies, including community-based sentencing options and new therapeutic and restorative interventions for high-risk young offenders. “This change will help ensure that the detention of young people in Tasmania is truly a last resort,” said Jaensch. These changes are anticipated to be implemented by the end of 2024. Read the announcement here.
Australia Finally Commits to Cut 43% of Emissions by 2030
File this one under: A Good Start. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made good on his election promise and officially committed to cutting 43% of Australia’s carbon emissions by 2030. This pledge made to the United Nations, finally brings Australia’s emission reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreements goal of limiting global warming to well below 2ºC (preferably less than 1.5ºC) compared to pre-industrial levels. This announcement follows years of criticism from international climate bodies that have previously condemned Australia of not following through on climate change promises made. “When I’ve spoken with international leaders in the last few weeks, they have all welcomed Australia’s changed position,” Albanese said in a statement today. Read more on Junkee.
Birth of Tasmanian Devil Joeys Bring Hope To Conservation Groups
Tasmanian devils have in the DevilComeBack breeding program have given birth to nine joeys! As part of the program, in 2020 Aussie Ark released 28 Tasmanian devils into a wildlife sanctuary at the Barrington Tops, north of Sydney. Tasmanian devils haven’t lived in the wild on mainland Australia for over 3000 years, largely due to the introduction of dingoes and the spread of a highly contagious cancer, the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD). DFTD has decimated up to 90% of wild population numbers in Tasmania and it is believed that there are only 25,000 wild devils left. The birth of these nine joeys through this program is a sign of hope for conservation groups. Tyler Granton, Aussie Ark supervisor said: “Every single Tasmanian devil joey born in the wild is a success for Aussie Ark, a success for the program and a success for the species.” Read more on ABC.
Apple and Uber Move Towards Unions
In June, workers at two tech giants – Apple and Uber – scored big union wins. In Australia, the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) struck a landmark agreement with Uber. It supports the introduction of a minimum earnings “safety net” for drivers, implementing a new system to resolve disputes and creating a collective body to represent rideshare and delivery drivers. The push for this agreement came from Uber drivers after seven food delivery drivers died on the job in 2020.
In the U.S., workers at an Apple store in Maryland have voted to unionise and form the tech giant’s first retail union in the country. It is the third Apple store to launch a union push this year, and the first to successfully hold a vote. The new AppleCore union – short for the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees – penned an open letter to Apple in May, saying its bid was “about us as workers gaining access to rights that we do not currently have.” Learn more about Apple and Uber union movements.
July
Endangered Red Panda Born in Toronto Zoo
Paprika, a four-year-old red panda, gave birth to her first cub at the Toronto Zoo – only the third endangered red panda birth at the zoo in 25 years. According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are less than 10,000 red pandas left in the world, nearly half of which live in the Eastern Himalayas. The species has declined by as much as 50% in the past 20 years. “Red pandas are an endangered species due to illegal hunting and habitat loss, so contributing to sustaining their managed populations in AZA-accredited zoos is not only a success for your Zoo but also helps to educate our guests about the conservation efforts of this extraordinary species,” said Toronto Zoo CEO Dolf DeJong in a release. Paprika and her cub won’t be viewable by the public just yet, giving them time to bond in private at this crucial young stage. Read more on Reuters.
Women Return to Tour De France After 33 Years
After a 33 year hiatus, women were once again able to compete in the Tour de France Femmes. In the 119-year existence of the men’s tour, women have competed in the official Tour de France only five times. The women’s tour ran from 1984 to 1989 before it was called off due to a lack of funding. Around that time, the one-day women’s even La Course became a sort-of replacement, although some riders claimed that it was more insult than opportunity. For 2022, cycling app Zwift sponsored the return of the Tour de France Femmes. The race was won by Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten in a thrilling finish, just 30 seconds ahead of her second-placed competitor Demi Vollering. There is still some room for improvement though: the total €250,000 prize pool of the women’s race is just a fraction of the €2.2million men’s race. Still, the return of the women’s race is a start! Read more on SBS.
World’s Largest Vertical Farm Opens in Dubai
Emirates Crop One (ECO1), a 330,000-square-foot ‘farm’, has opened in Dubai. As the world’s largest vertical farm, it has the capacity to produce over 2 million pounds of leafy greens per year, with a guaranteed rate of three tonnes per day, using 95% less water than field-grown produce. The greens – including lettuce, arugula, spinach and mixed salad greens – require no pre-washing and are grown without pesticides, herbicides or chemicals. It will predominantly be used in meals for passengers on Emirates and other airlines later this year, but will also be sold in stores across the United Arab Emirates. This is the second vertical farm Crop One has opened, after its flagship facility in Millis, Massachusetts. Read more on Business Wire.
Aussie Kelsey-Lee Barber Makes Athletics History
Victorian athlete Kelsey-Lee Barber has become the first woman in athletics history to win back-to-back javelin titles at the world championships level. Barber has now won medals at each of her past three major championships: gold at Oregon 2022, bronze at the Tokyo Olympics last year, and gold at the Doha 2019 competition. She joins Cathy Freeman as the only Australian athletes to successfully defend world championships titles – Freeman won back-to-back 400m gold medals in 1997 and 1999. Barber said of her historic win: “I have definitely dreamt of this moment. It’s one thing to win it once, but to go back-to-back is totally different. And I’ll be honest in saying I wanted to do it, I’ve wanted it for a really long time.” Read more on Yahoo! Sport.
August
Scotland Becomes First Country to Offer Free Pads and Tampons
Scotland is the first country to offer tampons and pads for free nation-wide, thanks to 2020 legislation that has now come into effect. Menstrual products will be available in pharmacies and community centres, free to anyone who needs them. Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said “providing access to free period products is fundamental to equality and dignity” and that reducing financial barriers was “more important than ever” in an era of rising costs of living. New Zealand, Kenya and three states in the US (New York, Virginia and Oregon) currently distribute products for free in public schools. Read more on NPR.
Victoria to Provide Free Nursing and Midwifery Degrees
More than 10,000 budding nurses and midwives will be recruited and trained for free as part of a $270 million initiative announced by the Victorian government. Under the five-year program, all new domestic students enrolling in a professional-entry nursing and midwifery course in 2023 and 2024 will receive a scholarship of up to $16,500 to cover course costs. The state government will also offer scholarships to 150 postgraduate midwifery students. The initiative aims to increase staff numbers, making it easier to fill rosters and allow for more flexible work arrangements. The opposition has also backed the plan, so it will go ahead no matter who wins the November 2022 state election. New South Wales and Tasmania are looking into following Victoria’s example as many hospitals around the country struggle with understaffing. Read more on SBS.
Battery-Farmed Eggs To Be Phased Out By 2036
Australia will officially phase out battery eggs, joining New Zealand, Mexico, Israel, Canada and most of Europe (including the UK) on the list of countries who have ended the use of battery cages. The new guidelines will force egg producers to phase out the use of conventional layer hen cages by 2036 at the latest. After that deadline, all cages containing three or more hens must provide at least 750cm2 of usable space for each bird. Hens caged alone must have 1m2 usable space. In egg production alone, 50% of birds are caged and the fight to get them out of cages in Australia has been in negotiation for seven years. So while free range is best, this is still a significant win. Read more on the Guardian.
Para-Athlete Makes Australian Commonwealth Games History
Madison de Rozario is the first Australian para-athlete to win four Commonwealth Games gold medals. The West Australian wheelchair racer dominated at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, taking home gold in the women’s marathon and the 1500m T53 / T54. She previously won gold at the 2018 Games on the Gold Coast, in the 1,500m T54 race and T54 marathon. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, De Rozario’s racing wheelchair was damaged during the trip to Birmingham, so she used zip-ties to hold the chair together during the race. A DIY icon! Read more about De Rozario’s big wins on ABC.
September
India Gives Equal Abortion Access to All Women
India’s Supreme Court made a significant ruling that allows all women, regardless of marital status, to obtain abortions up to 24 weeks into their pregnancies. Prior to this, under India’s Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTP Act) a married woman could have an abortion up to 24 weeks, while single women were limited to 20 weeks. The ruling came after an unmarried woman in a consensual relationship was denied an abortion by a lower court in July because she was past 20 weeks in her pregnancy. The court said denying single women the same access to abortion violated the right to equality before the law under India’s Constitution. The bench also said that the meaning of rape must be expanded to include marital rape under the MTP Act; this part of the ruling is yet to be realised, but the initial changes are a step towards making that happen too. Read more on The Indian Express.
Quinta Brunson Donates Abbott Elementary Marketing Budget to Teachers
Quinta Brunson, creator and showrunner of the hit ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary revealed during a recent interview that she donated some of the show’s marketing budget to under-resourced public schools. The show is set at a fictional public elementary school in Philadelphia where Brunson plays a second-grade teacher. Brunson said her mother’s experience teaching at an underfunded school for 40 years gave her the idea for the show, as well as the desire to give back. Learn more about Brunson’s philanthropy on CNBC.
‘Historic Moment’ in Alzheimer’s Treatment
A new drug, called Lecanemab, has been found to reduce cognitive decline in early-stage Alzheimer’s. During trials, Lecanemab was found to slow the decline in people’s memory and thinking by up to 27% over 18 months, compared with a placebo. Alzheimer’s Research UK called the finding a “historic moment for dementia research”, as the medication is one of very few later-stage trials of an Alzheimer’s drug to successfully slow cognitive decline. The medication works by clearing deposits of amyloid, a protein that builds up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients during the early stages of the disease. The company who ran the trials, Eisai, said it plans to file for market approval before the end of March 2023. Read more about the breakthrough on The Guardian.
Torres Strait Eight Win Historic Human Rights Fight Against Australia
A group of eight Torres Strait Islander people – dubbed the Torres Strait Eight – have made international legal history, after the United Nations Human Rights Committee found that the Australian Government is violating its human rights obligations to the Torres Strait by failing to act on climate change. In the landmark decision, the Committee stated that climate change was indeed currently impacting the claimants’ daily lives to the extent that their rights are being violated; and that Australia’s poor climate record is a violation of their right to family life and right to culture under the global human rights treaty (the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). The complaint was initially filed in 2019, and is the first legal action brought by climate-vulnerable inhabitants against a nation state. The win has set several ground-breaking precedents for international human rights law. Learn more about this landmark decision on The Conversation.
October
Turkish Sports Stadium Completes Huge Solar Panel Installation
The Galatasaray’ football club’s home stadium, the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex in Istanbul, Turkey, has completed installation of more than 10,000 solar panels on its roof – an initiative that began in March 2021. The panels now generate 63% of the stadium’s electricity, which is predicted to prevent approximately 3,250 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year! Stadium director Ali Çelikkiran explained he committed to the project not only because it is good business sense, but because he also wanted to do his part as an environmentalist and a father to ensure the future of the planet. Read more on Euro News.
UN Climate Change Conference to Include Children For The First Time
Young people will finally have an official space to voice their concerns and influence environmental policy at the UN climate change conference in Egypt next month. The newly-announced Children and Youth Pavilion at COP27 will enable them to hold discussions and policy briefings. This dedicated platform will be located in the Blue Zone, the inner UN-managed space which hosts global negotiations, and aims to give young people a seat at the table during key decision-making moments. Mitzi Jonelle Tan, activist and convenor of Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines, says: “Every year world leaders and the UN climate summit say that they’re listening to the youth… This year’s youth pavilion will give us the chance to amplify the youth’s voice without the barriers and obstacles we often meet at these official events.” Learn more on Greenhouse.
First Wild Bison Born in the UK After 6000 years
The first wild bison has been born in the U.K. in almost 6,000 years. In July 2022, the Wilder Blean re-wilding project near Canterbury released a herd of bison into the wild… and organisers were surprised to find out one of them became pregnant when the discovered the two-day old calf! This is normal as a bison’s pregnancy is undetectable, a survival mechanism to prevent being targeted by predators. In the wild, bison are ecosystem engineers, and through their natural behaviors they create light, space, and fertilizers that prompt wildlife to thrive. It is hoped the presence of bison at the project site in Kent, will transform the woods into a lush, thriving, biodiverse environment and allow less hands-on management. See the adorable baby bison on The Guardian.
Australian Government Vows to Protect Threatened Native Species
The federal government has set an ambitious goal to prevent any new extinctions of Australian flora or fauna, committing to spend $224.5 million on the Saving Native Species program to achieve it. The goal forms part of a 10-year plan to improve the trajectory of 110 species and 20 places, and protect an additional 50 million hectares of land and sea area by 2027. The plan builds on a document released by the previous government and includes the Albanese government’s earlier commitment to ensure 30% of both land and sea areas are in conservation reserves by 2030. Read more about the plan on Australian Geographic.
November
Melbourne Begins World-First Trial for Male Contraceptive
At Melbourne’s Epworth Freemasons hospital, 25 men have begun the world’s first trial of a male contraceptive injection, which acts like a ‘temporary vasectomy’. The ADAM study involves hydrogel being injected into men’s vas deferens (the tubes that carry sperm) to block sperm from leaving their testes. It is expected that the hydrogel would dissolve after approximately two years. The current study will be conducted over three years. Urologist Professor Nathan Lawrentschuk, who is leading the study, said it if the treatment is ultimately proven to be successful “it could be a game-changer, ensuring that contraception is a shared responsibility between couples.” Read more about the trial on The Guardian.
John McFall Becomes the First Disabled Astronaut In History
British Paralympic sprinter, amputee and orthopaedic doctor, John McFall has been chosen to join The European Space Agency’s 2022 astronaut class. The 17 successful candidates will now complete one year of basic training in space technology, science and medicine at the European Astronaut Center in Germany, before undertaking Space Station training where they will learn how to operate station elements and transport vehicles. McFall is part of the the ESA’s Parastronaut Feasibility Project, dedicated to understanding what is needed to include astronauts with physical disabilities in human spaceflight. Read more about his story on ESPN.
France Passes Law Requiring All Large Car Parks to Be Covered by Solar Panels
The French Senate has approved a bill that will require parking lots with 80 spaces or more to be covered with a canopy of solar panels, providing both cheap renewable power generation and shade from the sun. The French government says the energy potential of the car park solar panels could equal 11GW, or the equivalent of a dozen nuclear reactors. It’s part of the country’s recent push to increase renewable energy efforts, as it was the only country in the EU to not reach its 2021 renewable electricity requirements. In addition to car park panels, the French government plans to build massive solar farms on the vacant land next to highways, railroad tracks and agricultural areas. Learn more about the plans on The Conversation.
McDonald’s Replaces Plastic Cutlery With Paper Options Across U.K. and Ireland
McDonald’s has announced it will replace all plastic cutlery with a new paper-based material in every restaurant across the U.K. and Ireland. The company says the new cutlery is made from “resilient, renewable, FSC-certified pressed paper and is fully recyclable and compostable.” It’s estimated the change will eliminate 858 metric tonnes of plastic every year. McDonald’s has a goal to achieve net zero emissions across its entire UK and Ireland business and value chain by 2040. By 2024, the corporation aims for all customer packaging to be: made from renewable, recycled, or certified sources, and be fully recyclable and compostable. Big targets. Read more on Daily Mail.
RSV Trial Results Shows New Vaccine Could Save Thousands of Babies
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a cold-like virus that can cause severe lung inflammation or infection – it hospitalises and kills thousands of young children and elderly adults every year. There has been a spike in RSV cases worldwide in 2022. Thankfully, a study has just published great results with Pfizer announcing its new vaccine prevented 69% of severe RSV cases in the trial, among infants aged up to 6 months. They are also working on vaccines for older adults, with both options expected to be available for public use in less than two years. Researches say the new products would be effective enough to prevent more than 75% of severe disease in both babies and the elderly. Learn more about the trial results on Vox.
December
Stephanie Frappart Becomes First Woman to Referee at Men’s World Cup
French referee Stephanie Frappart made history as the first woman to referee at a men’s World Cup match, officiating the group stage game between Germany and Costa Rica. She led an all-female on-field team at Al Bayt Stadium alongside assistants (from Brazil) and Karen Diaz Medina (from Mexico). Frappart has been a trailblazer in the industry: she was the first woman to referee a French Ligue 1 match in 2019; to officiate at a men’s Champions League match in 2020; and to take charge of a men’s World Cup qualifying match, in 2021. On the significance of refereeing the World Cup match in Qatar, Frappart said: “It’s a strong sign from FIFA and the authorities to have women referees in that country, [and] I didn’t think about breaking barriers or making history, only doing my job.” Read more on Aljazeera.
First Women Qualify to Become High Speed Train Drivers in Saudi Arabia
After a year of training, 32 women are now qualified to drive bullet trains on Saudi Arabia’s 453-kilometer Haramain high-speed line – the first time women the role has been open to women. The Haramain Express Train runs between the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and is one of the fastest trains in the world with a top speed of 300kph. In 2018, the law banning Saudi women from driving any vehicle was lifted and since then women have started making significant strides in society and the workforce. Women are now able to take on a wider range of jobs that were previously off-limits to them, including in the transport sector – the women’s workforce participation rate is now reportedly at 33%. Read more on The Tribune.
New Device Reduces Shark Deaths in Fishing Gear By 90 Percent
Every year around 100 million sharks, skates and rays are killed as a result of fishing for bluefin tuna. But newly published results from a two-month trial showed a new electrical device reduced the ‘bycatch’ of blue sharks by 91% and stingrays by 71%. The SharkGuard emits a short pulse every two seconds, which briefly triggers the electrical sensors around a shark’s mouth, causing the fish to swim away. In the trials, the devices were used at a long-line tuna fishery in France to keep sharks and stingrays away from the fishing gear. While further trials and testing are still required, the device could be very effective at protecting sea life with the manufacturing company hoping to make SharkGuard commercially available by 2024. Read more on Forbes.
Taiwan is Turning Unused Metro Stations Into Organic Vertical Farms
Taiwan has begun utilising otherwise empty metro spaces to grow sustainable, clean and organic food. Located in Nanjing-Fushing Station in Taipei, the 40 square-metre ‘Metro Fresh’ hydroponic farm grows lettuce under LED lighting, without using any pesticides or herbicides. Vertical indoor (in this case underground) farms are important agricultural innovations in countries like Taiwan – it has a similar population to Australia (23million people) but is 215 times smaller by land area (only 36,000 km² compared to our 7.7million km2). The ‘smart farms’ use technology to create the ideal growing environment for produce, able to control and adjust factors like light, temperature and humidity. Read more about the underground farm on Euro News.
