Today’s good news Comes from The Good News Network.

It’s a worldwide paradox: why is it so common for hospital food to be essentially bad for you?

Tackling the problem head-on, Boston Medical Center—already one of the greenest hospitals in the nation—has opened two extensive rooftop gardens. These gardens give patients and physicians access to fresh food while adding green space to the hospital campus.

BMC had one rooftop garden, through which it supplied fresh foods to its cafeteria and inpatient catering. Now, a second one, utilizing the ample rooftop space of the hospital campus, can also provide fresh foods to underserved communities, cementing BMC as a place of healing, whether through a shot in the arm or a vibrant kale salad.

Through a partnership with Boston Area Gleaners, fruits and vegetables cultivated in the 4,915-square-foot grow space will be distributed to local non-profits and community centers twice weekly during the growing season. This will address food insecurity and increase access to essential fresh foods across Boston.

Called the ‘Newmarket Farm,’ it triples BMC’s total grow space and quadruples the amount of produce BMC expects to grow annually. The new garden will specialize in growing vegetables, including collard greens, kale, and arugula, as well as culturally relevant crops, including Aji Dulce peppers, bok choy, and callaloo.

It will also advance BMC Health System’s commitment to sustainability. The green space reduces heat-absorbing pavement in the community and slows stormwater runoff impact, as plants collect and retain rainwater directly. The garden operates while reducing water waste through high-tech irrigation that waters the crops directly at the root.

“Our rooftop farms increase green space in our community, reduce the hospital’s carbon footprint, and strengthen at-risk local food systems. We are proud to expand fresh food availability in the local community while adding more pathways to support critical clinical programs, like the Preventive Food Pantry, in our hospital,” said David Maffeo, Senior Director of Support Services at BMC.

“The Newmarket Farm models how hospitals can further invest in the health of our communities while building environmentally resilient spaces.”

BMC has a program called Food Is Medicine, which works with a local grocer to craft labeling formats that speak directly to citizens’ disease risks and/or desire for knowledge about better nutrition.

For example, food items that may help control blood sugar are expressed on the packaging as being better for diabetics, or foods that may help lower blood pressure are labeled as potentially heart-healthy.

The city’s cultural diversity has seen the labeling materials printed in a variety of languages, from Vietnamese to Haitian-Creole.

The good news in this article is space is being put to use for the good of the community and hospital patients. Today’s JohnKu talks about clear thinking. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Genius by John W. Howell © 2024

Who’s idea was that?

To use roofspace to feed folks . . .

Utter pure brillance.

Today’s story comes from the Good News Network.

A hydrogen-powered car fueled by sewage and manufactured with various recycled materials may soon attempt to break several land speed records.

The car was built by Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) students at the University of Warwick. It will run off a byproduct of wastewater from the utilities company Severn Trent Water.

The Waste2Race Le Mans Prototype race car (LMP3) has been built from a selection of spare and unused parts to further its sustainable street cred in a world little-regarded for its sustainability—motorsport.

The car itself will be used to try to break one of several land speed records depending on how it performs, including the fastest standing and flying starts for both a mile and a kilometer. Its creators hope to have the car fully up and running in the next 6 to 12 months.

The parts themselves come from Ginetta, a British specialist builder of racing and sports cars based in Leeds. Among its green bits and bobs are recycled carbon fiber materials and a wing mirror made from beetroot waste.

The steering wheel is also 100% natural, while the firm ENRG Motorsport contributed a battery recovered from a crashed road car.

“These sorts of collaborations are a great example of how businesses, universities, and the endless curiosity of our students can break barriers and push the boundaries of what’s possible,” said Head of the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Research Group at WMG, Professor Kerry Kirwan.

“We’re incredibly proud of the ingenuity of our students and wish them all the best of luck in their land speed record attempt.”

WMG staff and students aim to complete the car in 2025 and use it to showcase a wide range of sustainable concepts being developed across the university and industry.

“We have a firm commitment to support technologies that have positive impacts on our environment, from reducing the process emissions at our sites to developing the circular economy in our region and helping partners like the University of Warwick to realize potentially game-changing new technologies like this,” Richard Walwyn, Head of Asset Intelligence & Innovation at Severn Trent Water, said in a statement.

The project, ‘Waste2Race’, comes as manufacturers such as Alpine and Toyota are exploring hydrogen as a fuel for future racing cars. BMW recently announced plans for its first hydrogen car to go on sale in 2028.

Typically, hydrogen fuels are investigated for their potential to power heavy machinery such as planes, trains, and construction equipment.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the most famous motorsport events in the world, will open the race to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in 2026 as a way of greening the event.

The Good News in this story is that motorsport racing is getting serious about carbon emissions. Today’s JohnKu talks about carbon emissions efforts. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Emissions by John W. Howell © 2024

We want to reduce,

Emissions in the U.S.  . . .

Who else is on board?

Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network.

Over 10,000 square miles of protected area will be added to the Heard and McDonald Islands in Australia’s far southern territorial waters.

Coupled with other expansions of existing marine sanctuaries. By the end of the current administration’s term, Australia is on course to have 52% of its ocean territory protected, more than any other nation.

“This is not just a huge environmental win for Australia, it’s a huge environmental win for the world,” said Australian Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. “This is a unique and extraordinary part of our planet. We are doing everything we can to protect it.”

Located over 2,000 miles south of the Australian continent, the Heard and McDonald Islands are about 144 square miles of volcanic terrain and represent one of the most remote places on Earth.

They are important breeding grounds for 19 bird species, including 4 species of penguins, and dozens of other bird species take refuge there. The area is a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, a RAMSAR Wetland, and an Australian national marine sanctuary.

The quadrupling of the sanctuary borders amounts to 11.5 thousand square miles (30,000 sq km) of additional protection but represents one-tenth of the total proposed expansions of marine protected areas.

Under the current guidance, prepared by nationally sanctioned scientific surveys, the total marine protected areas will make up an area the size of Italy.

The current administration of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seeking to establish a new environmental protection agency, as well as set a high bar for the country’s commitments to an international philosophy of conservation governance known shorthand as “30×30” or “30 by 30,” which states that to prevent the worst effects of general environmental degradation worldwide, 30% of land and waters should be under protections. Often, the second thirty refers to a hypothetical 2030 deadline.

The good news in this article is that Australia’s leadership is taking serious steps to protect precious resources. Today’s JohnKu talks about serious environmental measures. I hope you have a terrific weekend.

The Environment by John W. Howell © 2024

Serious efforts,

Must be made to bring the world . . .

Into compliance.

Today’s story comes from the Good News Network.

People Happy with Their Lives Are Less Likely to Suffer Heart Attack or Stroke

The analysis of health records of more than 120,000 adults in the UK with an average age of 57 found that people who are happy with their lives are significantly less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke.

They were also less likely to develop coronary artery disease, suffer a heart attack or heart failure, or have a stroke than those with lower levels of well-being, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers suggest that a holistic approach to life that includes regular physical activities, social activities, and/or stress management techniques is an effective way to enhance personal well-being.

The study found that, compared to adults with a low sense of well-being, the overall risk of developing cardiovascular disease was 10% to 21%—being lower for people with the highest well-being scores.

Compared to adults with a low sense of well-being, people with the highest well-being scores had a 44% lower risk of coronary artery disease, a 45% lower risk of stroke, a 51% lower risk of heart failure, and a 56% lower risk of heart attack.

“Our findings support a holistic approach to health care, where enhancing a person’s mental and emotional well-being is considered an integral part of preventing heart disease and stroke,” said study senior author Professor Wen Sun of the University of Science and Technology of China.

“Health care professionals might consider including strategies to improve life satisfaction and happiness as part of routine care, such as recommending regular physical activities, social activities or stress management techniques as effective ways to enhance personal well-being.”

It is well-known that life satisfaction, or well-being, can increase mental health.

But, until now, the influence of well-being on cardiovascular health was less clear.

After reviewing questionnaires from more than 120,000 participants in the UK Biobank database, the Chinese research team assessed well-being related to satisfaction with family, friendships, health, finances, and general happiness.

They analyzed the potential connection of well-being with the development of four major cardiovascular diseases: coronary heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

The study also examined the impact of well-being on lifestyle factors and inflammatory markers.

“These results underscore the profound impact that emotional and psychological health can have on physical well-being, shedding light on intricate biological mechanisms that were not fully appreciated before,” Professor Sun said.

“They add to the growing body of data that psychological health can impact cardiovascular risk,” said Professor Glenn Levine of Baylor College of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, said of the findings. “Much of the focus on psychological health has understandably been on negative factors such as depression and stress.”

“This study emphasizes the importance of positive psychological health, including the more global factor of a person’s sense of well-being.”

The good news in this article is that we can control our physical health through our mental health. Today’s JohnKu talks about mind over matter. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

The Mind by John W. Howell © 2024

Research shows the mind,

It is an effective health tool . . .

Needing care, as well.