Tag: JohnKu

Friday JohnKu – AKA -TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 60 Comments
Thick-billed parrots – Credit: OVIS / Ernesto Enkerlin Hoeflich

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

 

Endangered Thick-billed Parrot That Once Roamed the US Is on the Way to Recovery

By Andy Corbley
–

A public-private partnership in Mexico just announced that the population of thick-billed parrots is approximately 2,500 individuals—at least 10% higher than that recorded 12 years ago.

The number was determined in a recent population survey in a protected area in the state of Chihuahua, where this charismatic species once roamed north into the United States.

The thick-billed parrot is an emblematic species of the temperate forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental, once found in Arizona and New Mexico.

Since 1995, this species, listed in danger of extinction by the Mexican government, has been the subject of numerous studies and actions for protection and management, while the mountain forests on which it depends have been the focus of extensive reforestation.

These efforts, led by the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) and the civil organization Organización Vida Silvestre (OVIS), along with the participation of local communities and other organizations in the US and Mexico, are yielding encouraging results as demonstrated by the increase in population, a statement from OVIS details.

“This emerging success story reflects the importance of collaboration between society and government and a vision of healthy ecosystems and sustainable communities, which is in line with the policies and practices that CONANP will strengthen in the following years,” said the head of CONANP, Pedro Álvarez-Icaza.

Credit: Ernesto Enkerlin / OVIS

The census data suggests that the population of thick-billed parrots will continue to increase as the region’s communities consolidate sustainable forestry management practices.

Sergio Jiménez, OVIS’s executive director, thanked the various institutions’ support.

“This multi-institutional effort led by Ernesto Enkerlin Hoeflich, scientific director of OVIS, is bearing fruit after three decades, which gives us hope for other species at risk and points to the need for cooperation, persistence, and long-term planning to produce results and effective conservation.”

A significant effort was undertaken in the 1980s to restore populations of this parrot among the sky islands of Arizona. These dramatic, short, squat mountain chains amid the scorching lowlands were perceived as perfect havens for the reintroduction. Still, the problem was that predatory species like the American goshawk had already returned in large numbers to these hills, and their take of the parrots proved unsustainable.

In October 2020, it was announced that a higher elevation among the sky islands, including the Chiricahua mountains, would be sought to form the basis for a new reintroduction attempt.

If populations recover substantially enough in Mexico, the bird may recolonize its former haunts in the Southwestern US without the need for scientists’ intervention.

The good news in this story is that species on the verge of extinction can recover with concerted effort. Today’s JohnKu talks about efforts. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Recovery by John W. Howell © 2024

Even the hopeless,

Can benefit from our help. . .

The key is hard work.

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 64 Comments
First authors Diksha Sharma, left, and Vignesh Menon lead experiments on seawater collected from the Gulf of Maine – Credit: Annie Kandel, released

Today’s Good News story comes from the Good News Network

Trillions of Microscopic Sea Plankton Recruited to Solve the Carbon Problem

By

Andy Corbley –

American scientists have proposed a new method for recruiting trillions of microscopic sea creatures and their insatiable appetites to fight climate change.

The technique harnesses the animals’ daily habits to accelerate the ocean’s natural cycle for removing carbon from the atmosphere, known as the biological pump, according to the paper in Nature Scientific Reports.

The study, published by researchers at Dartmouth College, reported that spraying clay dust on the ocean’s surface converts carbon into food the animals eat, digest, and send deep into the sea as carbon-filled feces.

They explain that the process would begin with spraying the clay dust at the end of algae blooms. These blooms can grow to cover hundreds of square miles and remove about 150 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, converting it into organic carbon particulates. But once the bloom dies, marine bacteria devour the particulates, releasing most of the captured carbon into the atmosphere.

The researchers found that the clay dust attaches to carbon particulates before re-entering the atmosphere. It redirects them into the marine food chain as tiny sticky pellets the ravenous zooplankton consume and later excrete at lower depths.

“Normally, only a small fraction of the carbon captured at the surface makes it into the deep ocean for long-term storage,” says Mukul Sharma, the study’s corresponding author and a professor of earth sciences. Sharma presented the findings on December 10th at the American Geophysical Union annual conference in Washington, D.C.

“The novelty of our method is using clay to make the biological pump more efficient—the zooplankton generate clay-laden poops that sink faster,” says Sharma, who received a Guggenheim Award in 2020 to pursue the project.

A mixed zooplankton sample including common species – Credit Adriana Zingone, Domenico D’Alelio, Maria Grazia Mazzocchi, Marina Montresor, Diana Sarno, LTER-MC team CC 4.0. BY-SA (John’s note – I don’t have the number key for the photo)

“This particulate material is what these little guys are designed to eat. Our experiments showed they cannot tell if it’s clay and phytoplankton or only phytoplankton—they just eat it,” he says. “And when they poop it out, they are hundreds of meters below the surface, and all that carbon is, too.”

The team conducted laboratory experiments on water collected from the Gulf of Maine during a 2023 algae bloom. They found that when clay attaches to the organic carbon released when a bloom dies, marine bacteria produce a kind of glue that causes the clay and organic carbon to form little balls called flocs.

The researchers report that the flocs become part of the daily smorgasbord of particulates that zooplankton gorge on. Once digested, the flocs embedded in the animals’ feces sink, potentially burying the carbon at depths where it can be stored for millennia. The uneaten clay-carbon balls also sink, increasing in size as more organic carbon, as well as dead and dying phytoplankton, stick to them on the way down.

In the team’s experiments, clay dust captured as much as 50% of the carbon released by dead phytoplankton before it could become airborne. They also found that adding clay increased the concentration of sticky organic particles—which would collect more carbon as they sink—by 10 times. At the same time, the populations of bacteria that instigate the release of carbon back into the atmosphere fell sharply in seawater treated with clay, the researchers report.

Sharma says that in the ocean, the flocs become an essential part of the biological pump called marine snow. Marine snow is the constant shower of corpses, minerals, and other organic matter that falls from the surface, bringing food and nutrients to the deeper ocean.

“We’re creating marine snow that can bury carbon at a much greater speed by specifically attaching to a mixture of clay minerals,” Sharma says.

Zooplankton accelerate that process with their voracious appetites and incredible daily sojourn, known as the diel vertical migration. Under cover of darkness, the animals—each measuring about three hundredths of an inch—rise hundreds, and even thousands, of feet from the deep in one immense motion to feed in the nutrient-rich water near the surface.

When the day breaks, the animals return to deeper water, depositing the flocs as feces. This expedited process, active transport, is another key aspect of the ocean’s biological pump that shaves days off when it takes carbon to reach lower depths by sinking.

Sharma plans to field-test the method by spraying clay on phytoplankton blooms off the coast of Southern California using a crop-dusting airplane. He hopes that sensors placed at various depths offshore will capture how different species of zooplankton consume the clay-carbon flocs so that the research team can better gauge the optimal timing and locations to deploy this method—and exactly how much carbon it’s confining to the deep.

“Finding the right oceanographic setting to do this work is significant. You cannot go around willy-nilly dumping clay everywhere,” Sharma told Dartmouth Press. “We need to understand the efficiency first at different depths to understand the best places to initiate this process before we put it to work. We are not there yet—we are at the beginning.”

The Good News in today’s story is that scientists continue to work to make our oceans healthier. Today’s JohnKu talks about the oceans. I hope you have a super weekend.

Oceans by John W. Howell © 2024

They cover the Earth,

And have been abused for years . . .

Reversal takes work.

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Day/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 58 Comments
Credit: Department of Conservation

Today’s good news story is from the Good News Network.

More Than 30 Stranded Whales Rescued in New Zealand by People Lifting Them on Sheets

By Andy Corbley –

After a pod of more than 30 pilot whales were stranded on a New Zealand beach, over a thousand volunteers and professionals organized to save them by carrying them back out to sea on sheets.

The sheets were suspended from the prow of a boat operated by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DoC).

The stranding happened on Ruakākā Beach near the city of Whangārei in New Zealand’s north island, a particularly prolific stranding location for pilot whales. DoC agents routinely survey the beach and ask the public to report any whales coming too near.

Rescue efforts saw almost all of the pilot whales survive, while three adults and one calf perished. A Māori ceremony was held to honor their spirits, as the Māori believe the animal to be a sacred cultural treasure.

“It’s amazing to witness the genuine care and compassion people have shown toward these magnificent animals,” Joel Lauterbach, a Department of Conservation spokesperson, said in a statement. “This response demonstrates the deep connection we all share with our marine environment.”

WATCH the story below from Straight Arrow News…

WATCH on CBS News HERE to see how they used the sheets…

The good news in this story is seeing folks pull together to save other Earth residents. The JohnKu talks about thinking of others as more than just animals. I hope you have a super weekend.

Neighbors by John W. Howell ©2024

We are one species,

Among millions of others . . .

We should honor them

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Goodnews

~ John W. Howell ~ 78 Comments
United Pilot Scott Wardle buys pizza for passengers – By Tanya Stamos via FB.

Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network. You may have seen this story, but I think Captain Wardle’s action is worth another look. Today is also the anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas Sixty years ago. I think he would like this story as well.

United Pilot Orders 30 Pizzas to Feed Passengers After Emergency Landing for Medical Care

By

Andy Corbley–

A United Airlines pilot has become a social media sensation after personally overseeing the order and distribution of 30 pizzas to 155 passengers on his flight.

Now monikered the “Pizza Pilot,” Scott Wardle says that after 30 years of piloting for the Air Force and as a civilian, he knows what it feels like to be stuck at the airport and that he just “had to do something to show we care.”

United Pilot Scott Wardle serving dinner he bought for passengers – Tanya Stamos via FB.

Well, that care took off, with posts and photos of Wardle handing out pizzas using the check-in counter at the gate as a kitchen counter going viral.

The story began when the Boise-based Wardle was all set for a flight to Phoenix via Houston. About 45 minutes into the trip, the flight crew called to inform him that a patient had fallen unconscious.

Though two nurses and a medic were on board, Wardle felt he couldn’t take any chances, so he came in for an emergency landing at Albuquerque.

Hoping to get the passengers back underway as soon as possible, he suddenly received word that his cabin crew had maxed out their hours, meaning he had to wait for a new set of attendants.

“I made sure to confirm they were on the way with the company, and then I thought, I got to do something with all these people,” Wardle told KTVB 7. “So, I started exploring some options at that point for what I want to do. I came up with the idea of doing pizza for everyone. It’s an easy thing. Most people like pizza.”

Wardle says he loves his job, and the only burden he felt during the whole ordeal was compassion and sympathy for the passengers. He picked up the phone and started ordering dozens of pizzas.

As he began passing them around with plates and napkins, the passengers took notice.

The viral photos and videos reached virtually every corner of Wardle’s social life, with old Air Force buddies and even his graduation class of 1984 and phoning him to say they saw him serving pizza in his pilot uniform.

Pilot Scott Wardle ‘recharges with pizza for free’ – Tanya Stamos via FB

“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I just did my thing,” Wardle said. “Many pilots in our company do this sort of thing; I just happened to get my picture taken.”

United Airlines insisted on reimbursing him for the pizzas. They applauded a hero of the friendly skies who waited until every passenger had a slice before sitting down for a pie.

The good news in this story is one person cared about the care and comfort of others. Today’s JohnKu talks about caring. I hope you have a peaceful weekend.

Others by John W. Howell © 2024

When someone has care,

For others more than themself. . .

Angel makin’s there.

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 83 Comments

Today’s good news comes from the Associated Press

‘I got my life back.’ Veterans with PTSD making progress thanks to service dog program

JIM SALTER AP News

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — After working at a crowded and dangerous internment camp in Iraq, Air Force Staff Sgt. Heather O’Brien was brought home with her anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Airforce s/sgt Heather O’Brian and Albus – Photo by Nick Ingram

A bouncy labradoodle and a Kansas City-area program helped her get back on her feet.

Dogs 4 Valor, operated through the Olathe, Kansas-based organization The Battle Within, helps retired veterans and first responders work with their service dogs to manage depression, anxiety, and other challenges.

“A lot of times, the veteran with severe PTSD is homebound,” said Sandra Sindeldecker, program manager for Dogs 4 Valor. “They’re isolated. They’re very nervous. They won’t make eye contact. Some won’t leave the house at all.

The veterans and dogs graduate in six to nine months, but group gatherings continue.

There is growing evidence of the value of service dogs for veterans with PTSD. A small study published in JAMA Network Open in June looked at a program operated by K9s For Warriors. Service dogs in the program are taught to pick up a veteran’s physical signs of distress and can interrupt panic attacks and nightmares with a loving nudge.

Researchers compared 81 veterans who received service dogs with 75 veterans on the waiting list for a trained dog. After three months, PTSD symptoms improved in both groups, but the veterans with dogs saw a bigger improvement on average.

O’Brien, 40, recalled that the camp where she worked in Iraq sometimes had over 20,000 detainees. Violence and rioting were common, and it left her with severe anxiety.

“When I got out of the military, I just assumed that you’re supposed to be on edge all the time as a veteran,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien’s mother spotted the frisky lab-poodle mix on Facebook and convinced her daughter to adopt the dog she named Albus. Months later, O’Brien learned about Dogs 4 Valor, and the pair joined the program in October 2023.

O’Brien says she can now go out in public again — she even went on vacation to Branson, Missouri, “things that I never would have thought I would do really, probably ever again.”

Mark Atkinson, 38, served in Afghanistan as a corporal in the Marine Corps. He returned home with PTSD and major depressive disorder, causing sleeplessness and anxiety. He adopted Lexi, now 5, in 2020.

Lexi, a muscular cane corso breed, needed Atkinson as much as he needed her. Her previous owner had kept Lexi in chains before surrendering her. Since joining Dogs 4 Valor, the two can get out together and enjoy life.

“I don’t really like leaving the house because I’m safe there, you know?” Atkinson said. “And having Lexi has just made me get out to be more social.”

Having a group of fellow veterans facing the same challenges has also helped, Atkinson said.

“We come from the same backgrounds, different branches,” Atkinson said. “Same issues. You know, PTSD or traumatic brain injuries. And they’re all very welcoming, as well. There’s no judgment.”

O’Brien compared living with Albus to a relationship with a sometimes pushy best friend who often wants to go out.

“The best friend constantly wants to make you do things that make you nervous,” O’Brien laughed, acknowledging that it is ultimately up to her.

“I have to decide to walk out and just deal with life,” O’Brien said. “And so that has been hard. And it still is hard from time to time, but it’s it’s getting manageable.”

Some veterans said their family relationships have improved since they started the program.

“I’m able to talk, not fly off the handle and just get along with people and not be as stressed, not have as much anxiety,” Atkinson said. “Or even if I do, she (Lexi) is right there with me.”

Timothy Siebenmorgen, 61, said his relationships also are better with help from his 1-year-old American bulldog, Rosie, and Dogs 4 Valor, which he joined in July. He served in both the Marines and the Army, deploying 18 times.

Tim Siebenmorgan (left) and Rosie. Mark Atkinson and Lexi – Photo by Mark Ingram

“You’re in the military, kind of taught not to show weakness,” Siebenmorgen said. “So you figure you can tackle everything yourself, and you honestly believe that. And then you realize you can’t do it on your own.”

Veterans said the dogs and the program have given them new hope and a renewed ability to move forward.

“I got my life back,” O’Brien said.

The good news in this article is that these heroes are getting the help they need. Today’s JohnKu talks about the need for help. I hope you have a super weekend.

Reach out by John W. Howell © 2024

When all seems too dark,

Do not try to go alone . . .

Reach out to find help.

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 79 Comments
credit – Woburn Safari Park

 

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

Britain Celebrates Birth of Baby Bongo Antelope–with Fewer Than 100 Left on Earth

By

Andy Corbley –

 

In an English safari park, keepers celebrate the arrival of a calf from the world’s most endangered antelope species, the eastern mountain bongo.

Born October 16th, first-time mom Othaya welcomed a male calf in the late afternoon. This was the first bongo calf born at Woburn Safari Park in over 10 years.

The calf’s father, Sonny – credit, Woburn Safari Park

It’s both a significant success for the park and global conservation efforts to save this species native to Kenya.

“Othaya the bongo has successfully given birth to her first calf on Wednesday afternoon. After a long labor, the large healthy male calf was born and was soon seen standing on wobbly legs in the deep bed of straw prepared for his arrival,” stated Tom Robson, Head of Reserves at the park. “Both mom and calf are doing really well.”

Sonny, the calf’s father, joined the four-strong bongo herd at the park last November and successfully mixed with the females. He wasted no time in doing his job and displayed breeding behaviors.

“The bongo is part of a crucial breeding program and we are hoping in the future our new calf will travel to another wildlife collection and start a breeding group of his own,” Robson added.

Once the mom and baby are ready, they will rejoin the rest of the bongo herd in the African Forest exhibit, where visitors will soon have the chance to see the calf in person.

The eastern mountain bongo species has been hunted almost to extinction in the wild, and with less than 100 individuals remaining, this birth is hugely important for the species’ future.

The lowland bongo, its near-cousin, is readily dispersed across the Congo region and southern West Africa and is not endangered. The mountain bongo, with its much deeper red coat, is found only on Mount Kenya.

It has been estimated that the eastern mountain bongo may go extinct within 2 decades without appropriate protections. However, several Critically Endangered species, like the West African lion, have recovered on the continent in recent years.

WATCH the story below from Africa News… 

The good news in this story is the possible comeback of a species. Today’s JohnKu celebrates this accomplishment. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Comeback by John W. Howell © 2024

A turnaround is,

Always the miraculous. . .

Especially now.

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – FriYay/Goodnews

~ John W. Howell ~ 91 Comments
First Hospital Rooftop garden-released by Boston Medical Center

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

Boston Hospital Is Treating Food as Medicine with its Own Rooftop Garden

By

Andy Corbley –

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.

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 66 Comments
Credit – John Pavart, supplied to ABC News.

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

Local Artist’s Painted Coconuts Have Become a Sensation–and Are Now Found All Over the World

By

Andy Corbley –

 

Artists come from all corners, in all shapes and sizes, and from every race and religion; John Pavart and his painted coconuts are a perfect example.

The former opal miner turned painter from Australia’s state of New South Wales has been painting coconut husks for years, leaving them around the beaches of Magnetic Island for tourists and travelers to find.

It’s become one of the chief charms of the island, even though Pavart started it on a lark.

“I just happened to have a bit of art gear on me and thought I’d pick one up and paint it,” he said, detailing the phenomenon’s remarkably simple origin. “I put it down, and someone picked it up, and they seemed to like it, so I just kept doing it.”

They often depict sea life and beachscapes, and by now, the thin “grey nomad,” a term used to describe Australians in their 50s who move around for months out of the year, believes he’s painted over 750 of them.

“Lots of people have found one, and it puts a smile on someone’s face,” Mr. Pavart told ABC News Au. “I’ve got them in Brazil, Spain, England—they’re all over the world.

Pavart’s coconuts are now so in demand he occasionally has to leave Magnetic Island for Queensland, the nearest continental shoreline, to look for more.

Some of the coconuts have made it to Spain – credit John Pavart, supplied to ABC News.

Once painted, he will leave a picture as a clue on a Facebook page he started to trigger a free treasure hunt, which routinely attracts many of the kids in the island’s town.

He joked with ABC that between himself and the rats, the beaches are completely clear of coconuts.

The good news in this story is one man is spreading cheer and goodwill for no other reason than to do it.

Today’s JohnKy talks about fun. I hope you have a great weekend.

Fun by John W. Howell © 2024

The world in chaos,

Needs a fun reason to smile . . .

Coconuts do it.

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 76 Comments
Waste2Race Le Mans Prototype race car – credit, SWNS

 

Today’s story comes from the Good News Network.

Hydrogen-Powered Car Fueled by Sewage Attempting to Break Land Speed Records

By Andy Corbley–

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?

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 59 Comments
Heard Island, CC 4.0. BY-SA, Tristannew

 

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

Huge environmental win’: Australia to Protect 52% of its Oceans, More Than Any Other Country

By

Andy Corbley–

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.