Today’s story comes from the Times of India and was sent to me by Reporter-at-large Noelle Granger. Thanks Noelle

Meet Roy Kim, the 13-year-old Oregon student who designed a chamber that turns moisture in the air into water for drought-hit farms.

“Do what you can do tomorrow, today,” says Roy Kim, a 13-year-old Oregon student who has solved the water crisis for numerous farmers in the region. The teenager developed a device that turns moisture in the air into water, helping farmers access a sustainable and reliable water source in drought-prone areas, according to a report by Young Scientist Lab. As global warming continues, farming becomes increasingly difficult for farmers who rely on water to irrigate their crops. Most of the time, they rely on sources such as groundwater, surface water, and rainfall for this, but over the years, these sources can become depleted. This is why Kim created a device that uses the Peltier Module to turn moisture present in the air into water.

Understanding the module

Kim created a device that uses the Peltier Module to turn moisture present in the air into water.

According to Kim, a Peltier module creates a temperature difference when electricity is applied, making one side hot and the other side cold. “This allows warm air to cool rapidly when it reaches the cold surface, causing water vapor in the air to condense into liquid drops,” he explained. After multiple tests and improvements, Kim finalized the device’s design. The air enters the chamber through the hot side, where a heating element connected to a filter module warms it. The warm air then moves through the fan to the cold side. Water droplets formed here sink due to the temperature difference between the surface and the air.

The collected water then flows into a funnel and is distributed to the plants through a valve. To ensure the plants get the right amount of water, not too much, a soil moisture sensor is placed in the soil to determine when the plants need water. “In addition, temperature and humidity sensors monitor the environment, and if conditions become too extreme, they automatically adjust the airflow to maintain efficient water production,” said Kim. After testing, the device produced 10ml of water in two hours. Its highest efficiency was 135.8 g per kilowatt-hour. “Through this project, I didn’t just create water. I combined natural processes with engineering to develop a sustainable solution for farming,” he added.

Entering competition

Roy Kim, a student of Whitford Middle School in Beaverton, Oregon, entered the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, an annual top middle school science competition in the US run by 3M and Discovery Education, which challenges students in grades 5 to 8 to use problem-solving and innovation to fix everyday issues. When asked about why he wanted to enter the challenge, Kim said, “I entered the 3M Young Scientist Challenge because I wanted to showcase my invention to people around the world. If more people are aware of this problem and the potential solution, the problem might be able to de-escalate.”According to the US Department of Agriculture, between 2010 and 2020, agriculture was a major user of ground and surface water in the US, with irrigation accounting for 47% of the nation’s total freshwater withdrawals. Approximately 212,714 farms in the country depend on natural water sources for irrigation. But with Kim’s invention, the number can be decreased gradually. 15 years from now, he hopes to develop even more such solutions, as he wants to become a successful engineer who solves pressing problems across the globe, specializing in environmental engineering. He is currently among the top 10 national finalists in the challenge. The final event and winner announcement will take place on October 12-13, 2026.

The good news in this story is that an intelligent person converted known technology into a practical solution for water conservation. Today’s JohnKu talks about finding solutions. I hope you have a beautiful Weekend.

Answers by John W. Howell © 2026

When you need answers,

Investigate already knowns . . .

They may surprise you.

An uninhabited tropical island and its surrounding coral reef reflect the conservation project that has protected the area for decades. Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons.

Today’s good news story comes from the Times of India. Thank you to Noelle Granger for sending it to me.

In 1991, German development worker Sibylle Riedmiller invested her savings in an uninhabited island; three years later, its reef became a protected sanctuary.

In April 1991, Sibylle Riedmiller was sailing around Zanzibar when she came across an uninhabited island surrounded by a shallow coral reef. What she saw was unusual for the region: a largely intact marine ecosystem at a time when destructive fishing, including dynamite fishing, was damaging reefs along the Tanzanian coast. Rather than seeing Chumbe Island as an untouched paradise, the German development worker saw an opportunity to protect it. She put her own money into the idea of creating a conservation project that could eventually support itself through carefully managed tourism. According to Marine Policy, Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd. (CHICOP) negotiated with the Zanzibar government between 1991 and 1994 to have the island’s western coral reef and forest cover gazetted as a protected area. On December 24, 1994, the reef sanctuary was formally designated as a no-take area, prohibiting fishing and other extractive activities, with management entrusted to CHICOP.From an uninhabited island to a protected reef. Riedmiller had arrived in Tanzania in the early 1980s as an aid worker involved in education projects. By the time she reached Zanzibar, she had developed a strong interest in the region’s marine environment.

She was particularly concerned by the destruction caused by fishing practices and by the limited public understanding of coral reefs. According to the IUCN, Sibylle Riedmiller found Chumbe Island on April 21. The uninhabited island contained a fringing coral reef, seagrass beds, a mangrove cave and coral-rag forest, along with a historic lighthouse and abandoned buildings. Restrictions on access and fishing, linked partly to the island’s former military use, had helped keep its terrestrial and marine ecosystems relatively undisturbed, making Chumbe a suitable site for protection. Riedmiller’s idea was not simply to put a fence around the island. She proposed a model in which tourism would generate income for conservation and environmental education. This meant creating an organization capable of managing the protected area while also developing a small, low-impact tourism operation. A no-take reef backed by tourism. The protected area gave the reef stronger protection than neighboring waters. The sanctuary covers roughly 30 hectares of reef and associated marine habitats, while the island itself contains a protected forest reserve. Marine Policy also notes that Chumbe is Tanzania’s first managed marine park and one of the earliest examples of a privately established and managed marine protected area. The study noted that the sanctuary was legally designated as a no-take area, meaning fishing and other extractive uses were prohibited. But protection required people to enforce the rules. One of the project’s important decisions was to recruit and train local fishers as park rangers. They knew the surrounding waters, understood local fishing practices, and could communicate with other fishing communities. The approach also gave former fishers alternative employment and placed local people at the center of reef protection. The project eventually added an education center and a small ecolodge. The buildings were designed around environmental principles, including solar power, rainwater harvesting, composting toilets, and wastewater filtration systems. Ecotourism began in 1998, with visitor revenue supporting conservation management and educational programs rather than private profit.

Chumbe Island is surrounded by the turquoise waters and coral reefs of the western Indian Ocean. Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons.

Protecting the reef by teaching people about it. Conservation at Chumbe was never limited to protecting the reef. Environmental education became an important part of the project, with local schoolchildren visiting the island to learn about coral reefs, seagrass, forests and marine life. Teachers were also involved so that lessons about the marine environment could extend beyond the island. According to a study published in the Journal of Ecotourism, Chumbe Island Coral Park combines ecotourism with marine conservation and environmental education, while using a low-impact approach to minimize pressure on the island’s natural environment. The model was designed to generate income from tourism while supporting the management of the protected area. The reef remains at the center of the project, but Chumbe’s protected environment extends beyond coral. The island also contains seagrass beds, intertidal habitats, and a coral-rag forest, forming a broader ecosystem managed alongside the marine sanctuary. Riedmiller’s investment grew into a conservation model built around three activities: protecting the island and surrounding waters, educating local communities and visitors, and using carefully managed tourism to help fund the work.

The good news in this story is that one person turned a deserted island into an eco-tourist destination that benefits the island and surrounding area. Today’s JohnKu talks about one person making a difference. I hope you have a beautiful week.

Commitment by John W. Howell  © 2026

One saw the vision,

Enlisted more commitment . . .

Paradise is born.

Today’s good news story comes from YouTube and was sent to me by Maria Olimpieva. Thanks Maria.

For fifty years, Dolores Lopresti  greeted generations of second graders at St. Margaret’s School with a smile, a lesson, and a heart full of love. Standing before students, parents, and former classmates on the day of her retirement, she admitted a surprising truth: during her first year of teaching, she cried every day and nearly quit. Fresh out of college, she felt overwhelmed. But with the encouragement of fellow teachers, she discovered her calling—and never looked back.

Mrs. Lopresti believed learning should be joyful. Whether she was dressing up as the unforgettable “Mrs. Pepperoni” to teach math or preparing children for their First Communion, she filled every lesson with laughter, patience, and kindness. To her, the students were never just pupils; they were family.

All the children wore Miss Lopresti buttons

Over the decades, she taught not only children, but eventually their children as well. Former students returned to thank her for changing their lives, inspiring careers, and giving them confidence when they needed it most. Her influence reached far beyond the classroom.

Flowers for the teacher

Although retirement marked the end of her full-time teaching career, Mrs. Lopresti knew her mission would continue. “Every day is a new day,” she reminded everyone. “Don’t give up. Be kind. Be loving. It’s not how you start—it’s how you finish. And once I’m your teacher, I’m always your teacher.”

Just a few who came to say farewell.

The good news in this story is when one loves what they do they can have a positive impact on all those they meet.

Today’s JohnKu talks about how other see us. I hope you have a lovely weekend

Impression by John W. Howell © 2026

People remember,

Kind and considerate help . . .

They repeat learning.

Here is a video of her retirement.

Today’s good news comes from @Massimo on X. Thanks to Noelle Granger for sending it to me.

U.S. farmers are intentionally flooding their fields to revive ancient “prairie potholes,” creating temporary “pop-up” wetlands that deliver a huge boost to migratory birds while improving soil health.

In regions like California’s Central Valley and the Mississippi Delta, innovative programs—most notably BirdReturns (launched by The Nature Conservancy in 2014)—pay farmers to strategically flood low-lying or post-harvest fields at precise times during bird migrations. These short-term wetlands mimic the natural prairie potholes and seasonal marshes that once dotted the landscape but were largely drained for agriculture.

By timing floods to align with peak migration periods (e.g., spring and fall for shorebirds, waterfowl, and sandhill cranes), farmers provide essential stopover habitat: shallow water, mudflats, and abundant food for millions of birds traveling along flyways like the Pacific Flyway. The approach has transformed tens of thousands of acres of working farmland into critical refueling stations, with studies showing dramatic increases in bird use and numbers—sometimes 3.5 times higher in these managed pop-up wetlands compared to standard fields.

Farmers also gain practical benefits. Seasonal flooding enhances soil structure, boosts nutrient cycling (as bird activity and water help break down residues), recharges groundwater, reduces erosion, and supports long-term land productivity—often without hurting crop yields in subsequent seasons.

The good news in today’s story is an active program to help birds during their migrations while helping the soil as well.  Today’s JohnKu talks about assisting nature. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

A Hand by John W. Howell ©2026

Times present themselves,

To extend a helping hand. . .

Do not miss the chance.

Today’s Good News story comes from the Good NewsJul 2ork

A week after two magnitude 7 earthquakes struck Venezuela’s capital of Caracas, search and rescue teams from around the world are still rescuing people from the jaws of death.

This includes Aaron Levi Cantillo, who was trapped under rubble for more than 4 days, and a 3-year-old named Klieber Moran, who was rescued by Jordanians visiting to aid in the rescue effort.

It took 43 hours to rescue Cantillo, who had already been trapped for more than 2 days under a collapsed building.

Footage released by the office of the Acting President of Venezuela also showed 3-year-old Moran face down and covered in dust when he was located by snake cameras operated by rescue teams above.

The boy was underneath the Caracas building for 6 days.

The video, filmed on June 30th, 6 days after the earthquakes occurred, shows members of the Jordan International Search and Rescue Team carrying the child to safety after pulling him from the debris.

The U.S. has provided over 2000 personnel and  $300 million in humanitarian assistance since the disaster. Shortly after the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes, the U.S. military helped fly in about 310 specialists from urban search and rescue teams who are now on the ground.

Among international calls of solidarity, South American leaders from both sides of the political spectrum—who often have nothing good to say about one another—stepped up to help as well.

Brazil’s President Lula Da Silva dispatched a team of 71 firefighters, 4 National Civil Defense technicians, 6 specialists from the National Telecommunications Agency, and 6 firefighter dogs, as well as at least 12 tons of search and rescue equipment, 100 water purifiers, 6.5 tons of medical equipment, and a Brazilian Navy portable hospital, operated by 93 Marines and medical specialists.

Chilean President José Antonio Kast sent a Chilean Air Force plane carrying 37 members of the Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue Group. The following day, a second plane was sent with 16 rescuers, three tons of humanitarian aid, and two tons of firefighters’ equipment.

The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management of neighboring Colombia deployed more than 60 rescuers, 4 rescue dog teams, and 12 metric tonsJun 26ipment.

Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa said he had ordered the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid, the deployment of 46 urban search-and-rescue personnel, search dogs, and 6 metric tons of equipment.

More than 150 Salvadoran rescue workers and supplies arrived in Venezuela on 26 June as part of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele’s pledge to send 300 rescue workers and paramedics and 50 tons of medical supplies.

Mexican authorities provided 250 military rescue crew, rescue dogs, medical supplies, and rescue equipment on board 4 aircraft.

The National Emergency Commission of Costa Rica announced a deployment of 48 specialized rescuers along with approximately 12 tons of rescue equipment and humanitarian supplies.

Other nations, such as Italy, Czechia, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, India, Vietnam, Thailand, the UK, Qatar, Jordan, and even Syria, also deployed emergency rescue personnel.

The good news in this story is that countries around the world are pitching in to help. Today’s JohnKu talks about the world as one. I hope yo have a great weekedn and a happy 4th of July

Aid by John W. Howell © 2026

A disaster calls,

The world responds with action . . .

We are all family.

Today’s good news story comes from Mongabay.com and was sent to me by my correspondent Noelle Granger. Thank you, Noelle.

Former poachers guard Cabo Verde’s endangered sea turtles

by Sonam Lama Hyolmo

Former sea turtle hunters in Cabo Verde, off the coast of West Africa, have shifted to loggerhead turtle conservation work along the archipelago nation’s main nesting beaches. The change was propelled by 2018 legislation that criminalized killing threatened turtle species, Sonam Lama Hyolmo reported for Mongabay.

Rangers, around a dozen of whom used to poach or hunt turtles, now patrol key beaches where turtles lay their eggs, walking several kilometers each night during the nesting season, which runs from June to October. Turtle meat has historically been consumed in Cabo Verde and many other regions, creating a conflict between conservation needs and local customs. However, awareness campaigns and employment opportunities are helping to bridge that gap.

“I had turtle meat for personal consumption and never realized I could make a living out of conserving them,” Roni Nelson Batista Ramos, a ranger and camp coordinator at the Turtle Foundation, told Mongabay. “But now, I guard them against the poachers, and it’s motivating to see how these efforts have driven positive impacts for their conservation.”

Ramos and others monitor around 31 kilometers (19 miles) of coastline, patrolling the beaches on foot, and using drones and dogs for added assistance.

Roughly two-thirds of loggerhead turtle nesting activity in Cabo Verde happens on the eastern island of Boa Vista, which has seen a dramatic decline in illegal turtle hunting, according to the Turtle Foundation. In 2007, 1,253 female loggerheads were illegally caught on the island; by 2024, there were just 20. Over the same period, loggerhead turtle nests on Boa Vista increased more than sevenfold.

Cabo Verde’s loggerhead turtle population is the largest in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the third largest in the world, after Oman and southeast Florida.

Another four of the world’s seven sea turtle species roam the waters of the Cabo Verde archipelago: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), the Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), and the critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).

Bycatch in fishing is another significant threat to sea turtles in the region. In 2024, the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) renewed a five-year allowance for 56 fishing vessels from Spain, Portugal, and France to fish in Cabo Verdean waters.

Read the full story here. Warning: some photos are disturbing

The good news in this story is that those who hunt turtles are now protecting them, benefiting both. Today’s John Ku talks about reversing trends. I hope you have a beautiful weekend.

Turning a New Leaf © 2026 by John W. Howell

Once there were hunters,

Who saw their game disappear . . .

They turned to help save.