The Top 5 Happy Eco News Stories for August 22, 2022

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Tricky Lyrics and Empowering Nuggets: A Reflection from a Songwriter for Change

Guest Post by: Amy Woodburn of eco band ISYLA

How do we become empowered to join the fight for a better future for people and planet? If you are reading this, you are likely already sold on the need to address the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. But if you are anything like me, you may sometimes be at a loss as to how to best communicate this need to others around you. As a songwriter writing for change on climate I ask myself this question a lot.

Certainly, I don’t have all the answers, but I am confident that there is not one answer to this question. I was awakened by an enormous wave of existential fear for the future for my own young children, but psychologists would tell us that fear and dread is not necessarily the best starting point to change a person’s thinking. So how do you communicate the scale of the threat without alienating an audience from the get-go?

Singer-songwriter Lizzie Freeborn and I chose music as our communication tool. Some time ago now I was beginning to pen a new song for what is now our current eco album, Of Blood and Star. I had latched onto a concept that I really wanted to mould into song form…[read more].

Gardening 101: Everything You Need to Know About Setting Up a Garden and Its Benefits

Guest Post by: Rose Flores, the co-founder of RE/MAX Gold Philippines

Many of us want to make the most of our outdoor area, knowing that it is such a vital space that can potentially make every home cozy. One way of achieving this is through exploring and learning about various garden ideas. With practical ideas, gardening can be a great way to organize and decorate your outdoors despite space limitations.

Even without hiring a professional for landscaping services, there are many creative ways to spruce up a garden. If you have a compact courtyard or a simple back porch, you can use it to house a lush, beautiful garden. All it takes is for you to be innovative with how you set up the area and be strategic with what you plant in it.

Regardless of space constraints, various garden ideas can help you create a setting you love while guiding you along the way. Remember, outdoor areas can be configured to your liking in a way that increases their functionality and aesthetic, even if you’re short on time, budget, or knowledge…[read more].

Happy Eco News Top 5

1. Amazing News! The Great Barrier Reef Just Made a Massive Comeback

Takeaways:

• Two-thirds of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has recorded the most significant amount of coral cover in almost 40 years.
• The northern and central areas of the habitat show encouraging signs of recovery.
• Fortunately, the 2020 and 2022 bleaching events resulted in less mortality than the 2016 and 2017 events…[read more].

2. Biden–Harris Admin Launches New Solar Initiatives to Lower Electricity Bills & Create Clean Energy Jobs

Takeaways:

• The Biden–Harris Administration launched new initiatives to connect families to more reliable clean energy, lower electricity bills, and create good-paying jobs in the domestic solar industry.
• The Department of Energy has also announced $10 million to give solar energy careers in underserved communities.
• This announcement supports President Biden’s goal to reach a carbon-free electricity sector by 2035 while creating good-paying jobs across the country…[read more].

3. 14 Years In The Making, 20 GWh Pumped Hydro Storage Facility Comes To Switzerland (With Video)

Takeaways:

• After 14 years, the Nant de Drance pumped hydro facility is being introduced in Switzerland.
• The installation has a maximum storage capacity of 20 gigawatt-hours.
• This hydro system can also store energy for months or even years…[read more].

4. Celebrating New Ways of Reducing CO2 – the Art of Cutting Carbon

Takeaways:

• Scientists have invented a gadget that sucks the ink off printer paper so each sheet can be used ten times over to cut the amount of CO2 emissions from the paper and pulp industry.
• A viaduct is being built in Buckinghamshire made from a mix of cement and steel, which cuts materials costs and halves the CO2 emissions.
• Bio-chemical firm Avantium is claiming a world first – a plant-based plastic made from wheat and corn to replace PET plastic in drink bottles…[read more].

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