RTBC Staff

Reasons to be Cheerful is a non-profit editorial project that is part magazine, part therapy session, part blueprint for a better world.

One Question, 109 Responses: No Matter Who Wins, _____________.

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We asked our readers a simple question: No matter who wins this election, how will you continue to make the world a better place? Here’s what you told us.

No Matter Who Wins…

2 min read

The outcome of the US election will impact a lot, but it won’t change everything.

What We’re Reading: Why England Gave Land Back to the Sea

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from farmland restored to salt marsh to salmon thriving on an un-dammed river.

What We’re Reading: Why Didn’t Mexico City Run out of Water?

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See what caught our attention this week, from remedies for a water crisis to the story behind decades-old parking regulations.

What We’re Reading: Protecting Yellowstone’s Wolves by Listening

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a new way of tracking wolves to a more rehabilitative approach to prisons.

Reasons to be Cheerful Turns 5!

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Scenes from an ecstatic celebration in New York City.

What We’re Reading: The First Nations-Led Reclamation and Rewilding of Oil Wells

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a vast restoration effort in Canada to the end of coal in the UK.

‘Incredible Things Are Possible’: The Power and Potential of New York’s Public Spaces

5 min read

A behind-the-scenes look at one of the stories well be sharing at RTBC’s upcoming live event in celebration of our fifth anniversary.

From Asphalt to Inspiration: The Student-Led Transformation of America’s Schoolyards

6 min read

Peek behind the curtain at one of the stories we’ll be sharing at RTBCs upcoming variety show in celebration of our fifth anniversary.

What We’re Reading: California’s Rat Poison Restrictions Are Good News for Mountain Lions

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a new California law to protect wildlife to flood management success in Vienna.

What We’re Reading: Restoring the Cherokee Name to a Beloved Peak

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a mountain’s historic name change to the movement for spongier cities.

What We’re Reading: A Future Marine Sanctuary Teeming With Life

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from progress on protected waters to a record Columbia River sockeye run.

Introducing ‘Our Electrifying World’

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A series about how electrification is leading toward a more sustainable energy transition.

What We’re Reading: Consider the Fickle, Delicious, Climate-Friendly Pawpaw

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from the promise of a delicate fruit to a new way to protect the Great Salt Lake.

What We’re Reading: Would You Ride a Bike From London to Sweden?

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from zero-emission travel schemes to hotels converted into housing for the homeless.

What We’re Reading: How Philadelphia Is Preventing Evictions

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a program keeping Philadelphians in their homes to a simpler cervical cancer test.

What We’re Reading: London’s First Baby Beavers in 400 Years

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a comic about farming in Oregon to South Korea’s impressive food-waste recycling.

Introducing ‘Living Paradigms’

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A series about how the cultural practices of others, past and present, can teach us how to prevent or solve problems.

What We’re Reading: How Hurricanes Spurred a Clean Water Innovation in Puerto Rico

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a self-watering pot to zippy new subway systems in Europe and Asia.

 

What We’re Reading: How London Pioneered a Greener Olympics

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a more sustainable Olympic Games to unarmed civilian response teams replacing the police.

What We’re Reading: Singapore’s Public Housing, Colorado River Dreams and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from customizable housing trends to a flood of water conservation funding.

What We’re Reading: Child-Friendly Urban Design, Centering Indigenous Voices and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from city planning in Bratislava to a new way of paying respects on US national park visits.

What We’re Reading: California’s Clean Energy, Thousand-Year-Old Trees and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from renewable abundance in the Golden State to Vancouver Island’s old-growth forests.

Introducing ‘A Patient Is a Person’

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A new series about how whole-person health is transforming the patient journey.

What We’re Reading: Bee-Friendly Legislation, Door-to-Door Care and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a pollinator protection milestone to a new take on the old-fashioned house call.

What We’re Reading: Free Money, Cleaner Lagoons and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a basic income boon in Denver to major cuts in plastic pollution in Vanuatu.

What We’re Reading: Celebrating Juneteenth, Preparing for Heat Waves and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from one city’s Juneteenth story to Black communities preparing for extreme heat.

What We’re Reading: Forgotten Air-Conditioning History, Solar’s Skyward Climb and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a bit of Texas cool-down history to why US solar is outpacing wind.

The Dream of a Car-Free City Lives On

2 min read

The delusion that cars belong in places like Manhattan is stubbornly hard to break. But across the world, cities are coming to their senses.

What We’re Reading: Car-Free Sundays, a Massive Wildlife Bridge and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from a unique Los Angeles overpass to the tradition of Ciclovía in Bogotá.

What We’re Reading: ‘Re-Plumbing,’ Fish Passage Projects and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from drought resilience in the American West to good news for fish.

What We’re Reading: ‘Voluntary Rent,’ Outdoor Inclusivity and more

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from payments to First Nations to Californias first Black-led land trust.

What We’re Reading: An All-Female Rainforest Patrol, Crowdsourced Housing and More

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See what stories caught our attention this week, from an Ecuadorian patrol group to “community-owned cooperative real estate.”

What We’re Reading: Apple-Mapping, Wildlife Recovery and More

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See what stories have caught our attention this week, from an exploration of Britains apples to an intriguing conservation bill in the US.

What We’re Reading: Fine-Free Libraries, a New California Park and More

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See what stories have caught our attention — and learn what good news we’re celebrating at RTBC headquarters this week.

What We’re Reading: Waffle Gardens, Sign Language on TV and More

2 min read

See what caught our attention this week, from accessible kids’ programs to sustainable Indigenous practices.

What We’re Reading: Mapping Nature Access, Fighting Wildfires and More

2 min read

See what caught our attention this week, from neighborhood “NatureScores” to prescribed burns.

What We’re Reading: Climate Seniors’ Victory, Surging Solar and More

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See what caught our attention this week, from a landmark climate ruling to the encouraging rise in renewable energy in the US.

What We’re Reading: Sustainable Soccer, Curbing Deforestation and More

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See what caught our attention this week, from the carbon footprint of sporting events to the persistent problem of palm oil.

What We’re Reading: Eating Invasive Fish, Smart Densification and More

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See what caught our attention this week, from blue catfish filets to a lesson for New York’s housing crisis.

What We’re Reading: Bike Lanes, Dam Debates and More

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See what caught our attention this week, from the economics of cycling infrastructure to a contested waterway in Delaware.

What We’re Reading: Friendly Bus Drivers, Contraceptive Progress and More

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See what caught our attention this week, from parents stepping up as bus drivers to biodegradable birth control implants.

What We’re Reading: Environmental Justice, Ice Skating and More

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See what caught our attention this week, from cracking down on ecocide to a milestone for sports at HBCUs.

What We’re Reading: Ancient Crops, Caribbean Regreening and More

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See what caught our attention this week, from hardy grains in Scotland to reforestation in the Dominican Republic.

What We’re Reading: Scrappy Bookstores, Landscapes of Hope and More

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See what caught our attention this week, from a book bans boomerang effect to climate resilience plans.

What We’re Reading: Wise Water Use, Brighter Crosswalks and More

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Peek behind the curtain at what our team is reading and discussing this week.

What We’re Reading: Pedestrian-Friendly Paris, Hungry Otters and More

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Eavesdrop on our team’s ongoing conversation about solutions stories in the news.

What We’re Reading: ‘Living Room’ Libraries, Medical Debt Relief and More

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Find out what stories got our team’s wheels turning this week.

What We’re Reading: Skyscrapers Go Electric, ‘Uncropping’ Farmland and More

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You’re invited to read over our team’s shoulders in this week’s edition of our new series.

What We’re Reading: Vienna’s Housing Secrets, Alternative Travel and More

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In the latest edition of our new series, we offer a glimpse at what our team is reading and thinking about this week.

What We’re Reading: Better Bike Maps, Floating Wind Power and More

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Check out this week’s edition of our new behind-the-scenes series.

What We’re Reading: Bird-Safe Architecture, a Finnish Mental Health Treatment and More

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We’re trying something a little different: a weekly behind-the-scenes peek at what our team has been reading, learning and discussing.

The Year in Cheer

13 min read

177 ways the world got better in 2023.

Beavers Are Engineering Change in California

2 min read

Seven beavers have been released into tribal waters as part of a broader restoration effort. They’ve got their work cut out for them.

With Boomers Retiring, Worker Co-ops Are on the Rise

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As many baby boomers retire without succession plans for their businesses, employees are banding together to own their futures.

NYC Is Giving Teens Free Online Therapy

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A new city-wide program puts mental health support at teenagers’ fingertips.

California Redwoods Are Swiftly Recovering From Wildfire

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Three years after a fire tore through Big Basin Redwoods State Park, once-blackened trees are showing new green growth.

Parks Are Becoming More Accessible, With Help From All-Terrain Chairs

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States from Minnesota to California are working to open up more recreation opportunities to people with disabilities.

A Spiky Desert Plant Could Address California Farmers’ Water Woes

2 min read

As the state explores ways to use less water, agave is emerging as a viable alternative to thirstier crops.

Today’s Empty Office Buildings Are Tomorrow’s Affordable Housing

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As offices across the US sit vacant, a slate of federal measures aims to convert them into much-needed housing units.

At Neurodivergent-Friendly Gyms, All Kids Can Just Be Kids

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As autism diagnoses rise, so too does the need for play spaces specially tailored to the needs of autistic youth.

Gas Cars Will Soon Disappear From Many Stockholm Streets

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Only electric vehicles will hum through the city center, thanks to a stringent low-emission zone.

A Holistic Approach to Criminal Defense Is Reducing Incarceration

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Pairing public defenders with trained advocates can change a defendant’s fate in court and beyond.

An Experiment in Bogotá Centers Care for Caregivers

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By showing the value of caregiving, the city’s “care blocks” aim to chip away at gender inequality.

California Raises the Bar on Climate-Friendly School Lunches

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Schools across the state are leaning into plant-based meal options — good news for both kids’ nutrition and the planet.

‘Star Safaris’ Bring Education and Awe to Rural Kenya

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With a telescope and an inflatable planetarium, an enterprising astronomer is widening views in more ways than one.

Cool Pavement Is Living Up to Its Name

2 min read

In a Los Angeles neighborhood where trees are scarce, reflective pavement coatings are bringing measurable relief.

Even Tiny Urban Green Spaces Boost Biodiversity

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Good news for city gardeners: Australian researchers found that very small interventions can still make a real ecological difference.

Free Therapy Is Putting Philadelphia’s Black Men on a Path to Healing

2 min read

Stigma and affordability have long been obstacles to mental health care in vulnerable communities. What happens when both are removed?

The Clinic Where Dental Health Is a Gateway to Mental Health

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Going to the dentist makes lots of people anxious. But it could be the first step in getting mental health care.

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Montana Rules a Healthful Environment Is a Constitutional Right

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The landmark case will force the state to consider climate effects before approving fossil fuel projects. “More rulings like this will certainly come.”

The Collective Helping Black Climbers Get From Gym to Crag

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An Oakland-based group is building a supportive community within the traditionally white-dominated sport.

Protecting India’s Imperiled Wildlife With 3D Printed Teeth

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For one Indigenous tribe in India, an artificial alternative to the animal parts long used in traditional headgear is catching on.

Welcome to Waterline

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Stories at the nexus of water, climate and food.

California Dam Demolition Is Making History

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With one dam down, the biggest dam removal project ever undertaken in the US. has begun along the Klamath River.

New Zealand Becomes the First Country to Ban All Plastic Grocery Bags

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The country is the first to ban the thin plastic bags, encouraging shoppers to opt for reusable ones instead.

At the Homeless World Cup, Unhoused Players Compete for Soccer Glory

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Goals become realities this week at the unique tournament in California, which is free to livestream.

The Mormon Church Is Giving the Shrinking Great Salt Lake a Boost

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The church is taking measures to help restore its home valley’s beleaguered body of water.

Making Headway on Indigenous Land Rights

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A recent report shows the results of years of advocacy — good news for both Indigenous peoples and the climate.

Nerf Guns and Einstein Roleplay: How Australia Is Amping Up Science Education

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Facing a STEM skills crisis, Australia is starting early with playful approaches to learning.

Japan’s Newest Vending Machines Are Stocked for Disaster Relief

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Filled with food and emergency goods, the machines unlock automatically when earthquakes or other natural disasters strike.

Every Whiskey Distillery In Scotland Vows to Go Carbon Neutral

2 min read

A sprawling industry with a large carbon footprint is stumbling toward sustainability.

A Canadian River Rises From the Dead

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Toronto is investing billions in nursing the Don River back to health.

In Honduras, ‘Miracle’ Fish From the Sky Turn into Extra Income

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It only happens once or twice a year. But when fish rain down on the town of Yoro, Honduras, residents can now trade their catch for cash.

How Dutch Cities Perfected the Bike-to-Train Commute

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For urban cyclists in the Netherlands, half a million secure bicycle parking spots make for seamless connections to rail journeys.

Google-Generated Addresses Connect Brazil’s Favelas to the Future

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A cutting-edge mapping system lends new legitimacy to the country’s most marginalized neighborhoods.

Europe’s Longest Bicycling Tunnel Opens in Norway

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The colorfully lit, art-lined path through a mountain is almost two miles long and shortens bike commutes by 20 minutes.

Farmers Used California’s “Atmospheric River” to Recharge Aquifers

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By helping their land absorb the excess water, Central Valley farmers are making sure the state’s deluge doesn’t go to waste.

An Arizona Town’s Once-Hidden Staircases Are Now Public Art

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Globe, Arizona cleaned up overgrown paths once used by miners to make way for beautiful murals and walks with a view.

Bicycles Now Outnumber Cars in London’s Rush Hour

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People on bikes represent 40 percent of non-pedestrian rush hour traffic in the city, and cars are trending down.

At This Swedish Apartment Building, Young and Old Promise to Interact

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The tenants come from diverse generations and cultures — and commit to socializing with each other at least two hours a week.

The School Funding Robotics Classes by Selling Its Own Solar Energy

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In Tunisia, where education is underfunded, one school is flush with cash after covering itself in solar panels and selling the energy back to the grid.

4 Pandemic Responses That Changed Life for the Better

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Covid transformed cities, jobs, even entertainment in ways that seem to be ever more permanent — and in some cases, made the world a better place.

Saving the Rainforests Is Pandemic Prevention

2 min read

In Borneo and Madagascar, communities committed to protecting trees instead of logging — and people got healthier.

A Major International Agreement to Protect the Oceans Takes Shape

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The UN treaty would make it possible to designate international waters as protected areas, bringing conservation to vast new swathes of the sea.

Climate Action Is a Four-Day Work Week

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When dozens of companies experimented with shorter working hours, employees swapped commuting for low-carbon fun.

China’s ‘Zero Covid’ Testing Booths Are Becoming Libraries

2 min read

Now-dormant medical surveillance spaces are being repurposed as everything from food stalls to pharmacies to places where you can borrow a book.

An ‘Invasive Species’ Is Helping to Restore the Amazon

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A team is planting Australian eucalypts in deforested areas of Brazil’s rainforest to harvest for timber and generate money for reforestation.

Philadelphia Renters Facing Eviction Can Lawyer Up for Free

2 min read

The city’s “Right to Counsel” initiative is based on research showing that legal representation helps keep people in their homes.

Amsterdam Has an Aquatic Answer to Demand for More Bicycle Parking

3 min read

The ‘Venice of the North’ has thousands of new bike parking spots at the city’s busiest transit hub.

Cancer Deaths Are Plummeting

2 min read

Across the US, early screening, vaccines and better treatments are making the disease less fatal than ever.

The Ozone Layer Will Soon Be Entirely Healed

2 min read

Following an extraordinary global effort, the UN announced that the planet’s critical sun shield will completely recover within 40 years.

US Cities Are Preparing for a Massive Tree Planting in 2023

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Urban foresters see an infusion of $1.5 billion to increase tree canopies as a “once-in-a-career opportunity.”

The Year in Cheer

14 min read

183 ways the world got better in 2022.

Fashion Goes Plastic-Free with a New Leather Substitute

2 min read

A soon-to-open plant in South Carolina will use mushrooms to make faux leather that those in the know say is just like the real thing.

At This Infant Nursery, Addiction Doesn’t Prevent Family Bonding

2 min read

Phoenix’s Hushabye Nursery is designed to keep parents and babies withdrawing from drug dependency close together.

Recycling Clothes Is Going Mainstream

2 min read

In Sweden, the world’s first commercial-scale textile recycling plant is a sign of things to come.

In This French Village, People with Alzheimer’s Are Encouraged to Roam

2 min read

In Village Landais, having dementia doesn’t mean giving up your independence.

Wealthy Countries Pledge to Shoulder Costs for Global Climate Damage

2 min read

At the UN’s annual climate conference, a groundbreaking — if not-yet-binding — promise from the US and EU “offers hope to vulnerable communities.”

Every Large Parking Lot in France Will Soon Be Covered in Solar Panels

2 min read

A mandate to blanket the asphalt in photovoltaics could provide as much energy as 10 nuclear power plants.

A Better Way to Build

2 min read

In our new ongoing series, Build Better, we explore how advancements in construction are leading the way toward decarbonized cities.

The US Election Unfolded With Remarkable Grace

2 min read

Defying dire predictions, the sprawling event once again showed the power of civic engagement.

It’s Official: Business Boomed on New York’s Car-Free Streets

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A new analysis shows that when the pandemic closed streets to traffic, bars and restaurants made more money.

Libraries Are Lending Free E-Bikes

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In Madison, Wisconsin, library patrons borrow electric bicycles for a week at a time, saving them thousands on buying their own.

Meet the Surfers Fighting ‘Wave Extinction’ in Mexico

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They successfully lobbied for a state park to preserve the ecosystem that keeps their surf break intact.

Meet the Insect That Recycles Plastic Bags

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The wax worm’s saliva quickly breaks down polyethylene waste, and could eventually be sold in at-home recycling kits.

Bananas Are Too Cheap — Here’s How to Fix That

2 min read

A Montreal importer is upping the price of a bunch to get fairer wages for farmers and workers in Central and South America.

Become a Member of Reasons to be Cheerful Today

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Introducing our membership program, a chance to support solutions journalism and help us grow for the future.

San Francisco Bay Is Becoming a Safe Haven for Whales

3 min read

A new buoy-to-satellite system that detects whale song helps ship captains avoid fatal collisions.

Delhi’s Electric Buses Are Making the City Healthier

2 min read

As the entire fleet goes gas-free, the cleaner air will save over 1,300 lives every year.

Free Fruit and Veggies Make a German City ‘Edible’

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Residents of the Rhine River Valley’s Andernach get their fresh produce from a large public garden at no charge.

Ferguson Teens Take Flight

2 min read

A free flight training program is inspiring high-schoolers to pursue career dreams they never even considered.

Los Angeles Cyclists Find Safety in Numbers

2 min read

A new app helps bike commuters travel together in “pods” as a response to a lack of protective infrastructure.

Biking Like the Dutch Could Erase Entire Countries’ Carbon Footprints 

3 min read

A new study shows how more pro-bike policies could have a major impact on climate change.

A Hidden Flow of River Water Is Keeping Paris Cool

3 min read

Beneath the city, an ingenious, sustainable system uses the Seine to cool down buildings like the Louvre.

Welcome to Our Cool Project

2 min read

A one-week series about surprising ways cities can crank down the temperature.

The Beach that Said Bye-Bye to Hollywood

3 min read

Maya Bay could have been famous. Instead, it’s living happily ever after.

Brooklyn’s New Food Hub Sells from Black- and Brown-Owned Farms

2 min read

“This is a hyperlocal model that supports the people who live in the area.”

A Vermont City’s Decision to Go 100% Green Is Paying Off

3 min read

In an age where creditors view reliance on fossil fuels as a liability, switching to renewables makes fiscal sense.

Spain Is Making Its Trains Free

2 min read

With an energy crisis looming, Spain is suspending train fares to encourage people to take transit instead of driving.

Wear a Fish, Save the Planet

2 min read

The latest strategy for combating invasive species? Turn them into jackets.

China’s Singles Have Had It

2 min read

In a country where laws often penalize the unmarried, a “singles rights” movement is gaining steam.

The Whimsical Skywalks of Rotterdam

3 min read

By connecting the city’s rooftops, the floating bridges pay homage to under-appreciated urban spaces.

World’s Biggest Four-Day Work Week Experiment Begins

2 min read

Thousands of British workers are about to start clocking out a little earlier.

California Says Insects Can Be Protected as Endangered Species

2 min read

The decision opens the door to protecting bees at a critical moment.

The ‘Red State Green Energy’ Boom Rolls On

2 min read

A new analysis confirms the reporting in RTBC’s latest series: conservative states are big players in America’s clean power movement.

New Zealand’s Urban Forests Welcome a Birdlife Boom

3 min read

Native birds are flocking back to cities after generations of absence.

Women-Only Rangers Are Changing the Way Zimbabwe Fights Poachers

2 min read

The unit focuses on community engagement and job creation. Its tactics are working.

New Mexico Offers Free Child Care to Pretty Much Everyone

2 min read

The Land of Enchantment just launched the closest thing the U.S. has to universal child care.

Welcome Back, Condor

2 min read

The reintroduction of California condors into the state’s northern redwoods is the latest milestone in the birds’ spectacular comeback.

And Now, a Little Inspiration

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From the archives of We Are Not Divided, three stories that look at our ability to bridge our divides — and find reason for optimism.

‘Bear-dar’ Is Stopping Polar Bear Attacks Before They Happen

2 min read

As climate change increases contact between bears and people, a new system helps keep them socially distanced.

An Orchard Grows in Kansas City

2 min read

Fruiting trees that replace dump sites are cared for — and feed — the communities they’re in.

Recycling Uplifts a Refugee Camp

3 min read

In Algeria, a complete recycling plant — delivered in a shipping container — helps refugees earn a living while reducing waste.

The Supermarket That Seeks No Profits

2 min read

Jubilee Market in Waco, Texas exists for one reason only: to provide quality food in a neighborhood that lacks it.

Systems Can Change — And So Can We

2 min read

From the archives of We Are Not Divided, we revisit three stories that explore the ways massive systems can shift to tip the scales in favor of social cohesion

Where Hunger Fell When Covid Hit

3 min read

When markets closed, some Pacific Islands returned to traditional farming practices — and found more people had enough to eat.

The Unlikely Allies Who Saved Costa Rica’s Forests

3 min read

By planting crops and trees together, farmers are making a living while forests thrive.

How Students and Locals in a College Town Beat Covid Together

3 min read

Davis, California has maintained low Covid rates thanks to a unique collaboration with its hometown university.

A Waterlogged Park Embraces Bangkok’s Monsoons

3 min read

An urban wetland that people can use becomes a shining example of flood adaptation.

Can I Have a Sip?

3 min read

A model of water exchange that aids diplomacy between Israel and Jordan could work for parched areas of the U.S. and Mexico, too.

How to Talk to People Whose Opinions You Loathe

2 min read

From the archives of We Are Not Divided, we revisit three more stories that teach us how to listen — even when we don’t like what we hear.

An Iconic Suburb Goes Urban

2 min read

Columbia, Maryland, the quintessential 1960s planned community, is preparing for a 21st century makeover.

Uganda’s LGBTQ Church Is an Act of Faith

2 min read

In a country where being gay can be dangerous, one church promises: “There is no judgment.”

Removing Money to Remove Bias

2 min read

Under a proposed law, district attorneys who have received money from the police would have to recuse themselves from cases involving them.

How Texas Bureaucrats Hacked Their Housing Problem

2 min read

Tired of delays, they cobbled together a software program that could change the way billions of dollars are spent on homelessness.

You Can Change Your Mind About Virtually Anything

2 min read

From the archives of We Are Not Divided, we revisit three stories that explore our surprising — and encouraging — openness to others’ points of view.

Putting Diversity in the Pilot’s Seat

3 min read

A California flight academy is tackling the pilot shortage and equity issues in one fell swoop.

Abandoned Oil Rigs Are Actually Helping the Oceans

2 min read

Properly maintained, their towering pylons often become an ideal habitat for endangered marine life.

Seattle’s Soda Tax Worked Like a Charm

3 min read

A study showed that consumers cut way back on pop — and didn’t buy other sugary products as a substitute.

This Rap Song May Have Prevented Hundreds of Suicides

3 min read

A study shows that ‘1-800-273-8255’ put a statistically significant dent in the U.S. suicide rate.

The Year in Cheer

15 min read

192 ways the world got better in 2021

We’re Almost There! Help Us Reach Our Fundraising Goal

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We don’t have ads or paywalls — we only have you. Will you support us?

The City That Uses Its Lake as an Air Conditioner

3 min read

An ingenious system using chilly lake water makes air conditioning unnecessary in major buildings, from hospitals to an NBA arena.

Our 5 Most Popular Stories of 2021

2 min read

From shorter work weeks to repairable computers, here’s what you loved to read about this year.

How Baltimore Became a City of Co-ops

2 min read

As interest in worker-owned businesses spreads across the U.S., one city is way ahead of the game.

Idaho’s Historical Markers Are Getting a Makeover

2 min read

Erected in the 1950s, they’re riddled with exactly the kinds of inaccuracies you might expect.

Taking Therapy to the Streets

3 min read

In Baltimore, a more immersive method of violence interruption is putting clinical psychology at its forefront.

Home Is Where the Noise Is

3 min read

Scientists are serenading fish with friendly sounds, and coral reefs are reaping the benefits.

Tulsa’s $10,000 Offer to Remote Workers Is Paying Off

3 min read

Some 1,200 workers have moved to the city, and it looks like most plan to stay.

California’s Adopted Otter Pups Are Fighting Climate Change

3 min read

An effort that pairs the orphaned pups with adoptive otter moms has led to thriving kelp forests.

Should Your Landlord Really Hold Your Security Deposit?

3 min read

In the U.K., a government program holds onto deposits to make sure renters get back what they’re owed.

Why Our Staff Is Optimistic about Climate Change

4 min read

As the world’s biggest climate conference comes to a close, we see reasons for hope on the horizon.

6 Major Takeaways from the World’s Biggest Climate Conference

2 min read

Ending deforestation. Slashing methane. Achieving net-zero emissions. Here are the most impactful deals and pledges that have come out of COP26 so far.

California Wineries Are Trading Pesticides for Owls

2 min read

To control rodents, the vast majority of Napa Valley winemakers have turned to birds of prey.

The Stigma-Defying Wheelchair Dancers of Shanghai

2 min read

In a country where disability is often invisible, these dancers say, “I want to let more people see us.”

Paris Makes Public Housing Greener and More Livable

3 min read

The city has spent the last decade making its public housing better for the planet — and for people.

A Black-Owned Beach Is Returned to Its Owners after 97 Years

3 min read

The waterfront property, seized in 1924, is being given back to the family that originally bought it. It’s now worth $75 million.

The Juvenile Jail that Turned into a Youth Center

3 min read

Arizona is sending fewer kids to jail — and reinventing the places where they were once locked up.

The Inspiring Evolution of Pittsburgh’s Old-School Unions

3 min read

A steelworkers organization is embracing workers of all stripes, from nurses to coders.

The Nine Cent Taxis of Rural South Korea

3 min read

In places where bus service has vanished, dirt-cheap taxis are keeping people mobile.

Turning Prisons into Pure Potential

2 min read

What could we do besides lock people up?

The Mental Health Power of Mooncakes

3 min read

A Shanghai mental health center was a target for stigmatization. Then its syrupy snack went viral.

These Old British Coal Mines Now Pump Out Geothermal Heat

3 min read

Holes in the ground that once chugged out fossil fuels now provide clean, green energy.

Sierra Leone Is Turning Roadway Vibrations into Electricity

3 min read

A locally owned startup’s devices are powering hundreds of homes and over a dozen schools.

The Black Barbershop Guide to Post-Prison Life

3 min read

At an “intergenerational healing circle,” elders offer young men job advice while the youth teach the older folks how to use Instagram.

Washington, D.C. Turns a Parking Subsidy into a Transit Perk

3 min read

The city is giving non-car commuters a tax exemption normally meant for drivers.

Policing Without Cops Finds Its Way from Oregon to New York

3 min read

A program pioneered in the little city of Eugene is improving policing in Harlem.

Maine Will Charge Companies to Encourage More Recyclable Packaging

3 min read

The more easily a product’s packaging can be recycled, the lower the fees.

Having Trouble Staying on Task? Hire an Online Boss

3 min read

At the end of the day, you’ll need to send them photos to prove you’ve completed your work.

Locally Grown Food Could Have a Big Impact in Alaska

2 min read

In a state where a trip to the supermarket sometimes requires getting on a plane, biomass-powered greenhouses could be a game-changer.

Save America’s Lesbian Bars!

3 min read

There are only 21 left. A movement is taking shape to preserve them.

How 8 Tiny Island Nations Outsmarted the World’s Biggest Fishing Fleets

3 min read

Tired of being overfished by wealthier countries, they stopped competing and started collaborating.

This Country Turns Cocoa Into Electricity

3 min read

Ivory Coast produces more cocoa than anywhere else in the world. Now they’re using it to generate green energy.

‘Citizen Scientists’ Have Been Tracking Cicadas for Nearly Two Centuries

3 min read

Every 17 years the insects’ dramatic appearance is recorded by thousands of volunteers.

An Indigenous Modeling Agency Puts Representation in Focus

2 min read

“Culture, community and land-based wisdom” form the pillars of a new modeling agency that’s elevating representation above profit.

This River Restoration Project Is Literally Unearthing Gold

3 min read

A mining technique that damaged the environment for decades is now being used to protect it.

Business is Booming on Covid’s Car-Free Streets

3 min read

And now a lot of cities are making their “open streets” permanent.

Black Churches Are Turning Vaccine Skeptics Into Believers

3 min read

Public health and church officials have turned the shots into a Sunday ritual.

D.C. Is Lending Residents Free Canoes to Clean Up Its River

3 min read

Grab an oar — and some trash while you’re at it.

Vancouver’s Sex Workers Get Access to Covid Vaccines

2 min read

A pop-up site at a clinic that serves sex workers saw 99 vaccinations in a single day.

France Will Pay You to Swap Your Car for an E-Bike

3 min read

A credit-for-clunkers program offers drivers thousands of euros to switch to two wheels.

Why a Michelin-Starred Chef Loves Carbon-Negative ‘Sea Rice’

3 min read

It grows everywhere and could help save the planet with every serving.

Its Streets Safer, Baltimore Will Stop Prosecuting Minor Crimes

3 min read

An experiment started during the pandemic to reduce jail populations will continue indefinitely.

How Students Could Make Harvard Go Green

3 min read

A complaint filed by a student group argues the venerated university’s investments in fossil fuels are illegal.

The Arizona Nomadic Community That Runs on Solar-Powered Car Batteries

3 min read

The self-proclaimed boondocking capital of the world is going green.

How an Unloved Bird Captured a Community’s Heart

3 min read

The garbage-picking stork was considered a bad omen. Then the baby showers began.

Vermont Is Growing Wind Power by Scaling It Down

2 min read

A partnership to pool energy produced by smaller turbines could circumvent opposition to large wind farms.

When You Know How to Shop, There Are Plenty of Fish in the Sea

3 min read

Meet the marine geographer teaching Chennai urbanites how to buy seafood the traditional way.

For a Dramatic Covid Recovery, Doctors Prescribe Opera Lessons

2 min read

The English National Opera has partnered with a hospital to turn lung recovery exercises into song.

California’s Farm Worker Dwellings Get an Upgrade

3 min read

When a newly elected county supervisor saw where farm workers were living, he was appalled — and inspired.

The NFL Team That Covid Couldn’t Touch

3 min read

How the Seahawks finished the season as the only team in the league without a single infection.

Indigenous Tribes Are Unearthing Traditional Crops

2 min read

A seed banking cooperative is making sure age-old agricultural practices don’t get lost.

Addiction Treatment RVs Hit the Road in Colorado

3 min read

Journeying to the state’s remote mountain hamlets, these mobile clinics are taking house calls to new heights.

Four-Day Work Weeks Are Here to Stay

3 min read

Some companies that reduced employee hours during the pandemic are keeping the shorter work week in place — even as they reinstate full pay.

Alaska’s Vaccine Rollout Is an Inspiration

3 min read

Defying harsh weather and roadless terrain, America’s most undeveloped state has achieved one of the country’s highest vaccination rates.

The Country That Invites New Immigrants to Dinner

2 min read

To fight xenophobia, nearly 2,000 families have shared a meal. Many have come back for more.

The Year in Cheer

10 min read

112 bits of good news that kept us sane in 2020.

A New Kind of Housing for Homeless Indigenous People

2 min read

An 80-unit complex in Seattle will provide housing that reflects the culture of the Coast Salish People.

Get Your Freedges Freebies Here!

3 min read

Community refrigerators are showing up on city streets, full stocked with food that’s free for the taking. Care for a snack?

When Life Gives You Milk, Make Cheese

3 min read

Large dairy farms started dumping their milk during Covid — until smaller ones swooped in to turn it into food for the hungry.

Lisbon Is Turning Empty Airbnb Apartments into Affordable Housing

2 min read

With tourism at a standstill, the city is leasing the flats and subletting them to locals.

Food Banks Get on Board With Fast, Free Delivery

3 min read

To reach those in need who don’t want to visit in person, one food bank is embracing Amazon-style shipping.

How Norway Helped Syria Rescue Its Seeds

3 min read

When war broke out, a group of intrepid scientists hustled Syria’s chickpea and lentil stash to a vault deep in the Arctic Circle.

The City That Guarantees the Right to Eat

3 min read

Defining access to food as a human right, a city in Brazil is making sure everyone can afford a trip to the market.

California Is Cultivating Forests That Stand Up to Wildfires

3 min read

The key is forest management processes that mimic what nature would do.

Inside the Mind of a Mind-Changer

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Swing voters. Covid converts. Some people seem highly persuadable. Why does that bother the rest of us?

Check Out Our New Project!

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For the next six weeks, Reasons to be Cheerful is doing something a little bit different.

Conservation Comes to Hawaii’s Rain-Triggering Tropical Forests

3 min read

Private landowners are part of a statewide push to save the trees that make it rain.

Cleveland Is Taking Its Voter Registration Drive Literally

2 min read

Registration caravans on wheels are making sure Latino communities don’t get missed.

Guides for Life After a Life Sentence

3 min read

“Lifers” face a daunting re-entry after decades in prison. One California program recruits their formerly incarcerated peers to help them navigate.

Bogota Cyclists Are Getting Much More Than Just Bike Lanes

3 min read

From bicycle parking spaces to a citywide registry for stolen bikes, the Colombian capital is creating a full-fledged cycling ecosystem.

The Tiny Town With Its Own Currency

3 min read

A Depression-era form of relief is helping residents of Tenino, Washington through the crisis.

Vocabulary ‘Fitbits’ Are Changing How Babies Learn Words

2 min read

The devices could help close the language gap between kids from wealthy and low-income families.

Nuns Convince Wall Street to Create $130 Million Climate Change Fund

3 min read

Sixteen congregations of Dominican nuns are collaborating with Morgan Stanley to invest in marginalized communities impacted by global warming.

Lesotho’s Top-Flight Soccer Team Just Broke the Glass Ceiling

3 min read

The African nation’s Premier League football club will become the first in the world to fund its men’s and women’s teams equally.

How to Make a Billion Tons of Carbon Dioxide Disappear

2 min read

New research shows that sprinkling rock dust on fields where crops are grown could have a huge effect.

The Deep-Red City that Elected a Trans Woman

3 min read

“When folks say, ‘I cannot believe a trans person could win in a place like West Virginia,’ I think, ‘This is the very place I believe a trans person could win elected office.”

Kentucky’s Abandoned Coal Mines Are Elk Heaven

3 min read

The remnants of a destructive form of mining have inadvertently helped the elk return to coal country for the first time since the Civil War.

Making Art Is Keeping Us Sane

2 min read

Neuroscientists have determined that creation can keep you from going Covid crazy, so we asked you to send us the art you’ve made under lockdown. It’s amazing.

Protesters Are Showing What Policing Could Look Like

3 min read

At a police-free zone in Seattle, “sentinels” are keeping the peace in peaceful fashion.

Seattle’s Tiny Houses Keep the Virus Out

3 min read

Shelters and hotel rooms are expensive and temporary. Are tiny houses a homelessness solution that can outlast the crisis?

What Police Budgets Are Being Spent on Now

3 min read

Minneapolis isn’t the only city starting to redirect the funding it spends on law enforcement.

An Antidote to Violence

3 min read

Some advocates, seeing violence as an epidemic, are starting to treat it like one.

Muslims and Christians Are Sharing Space

2 min read

So that everyone can worship safely, the walls that separate churches and mosques are coming down.

France to Airlines: Go Green If You Want a Bailout

2 min read

How one country is using its economic rescue to clean up a polluting industry.

The Kaleidoscopic Community of a Coronavirus Hotel

3 min read

Masked chambermaids, sanitized keycards and nurses who pop in to see how you’re feeling.

Seeing the Forest for the Bees

3 min read

In this week’s briefing: Reviving a woodland refuge for honeybees and partnering with poachers to bring back buffalo to a national park.

Infrastructure that Helps Wildlife Migrate

3 min read

In this week’s briefing: building bridges to assist wildlife on their journeys, Italy gets homeschooled and a debate over the merits of poop-powered energy.

China’s Green Decade Impacts the Whole World

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: renewable energy has an undisputed leader, and anti-violence outreach workers help their at-risk clients shelter in place.

New Zealand May Completely Eliminate the Coronavirus

3 min read

In this week’s briefing: Kiwis crush the curve, a Brazilian school exceeds all expectations and transit projects leverage car-free streets to hurry forward.

Scuba Tours Are Planting Coral Instead

2 min read

In this week’s briefing: Australian tour operators repair the Great Barrier Reef and a city keeps its restaurants afloat by hiring them to cook for the homeless.

France’s High-Speed Hospital

2 min read

In this week’s news briefing: Governments help companies pay their workers, France uses its bullet train for high-speed triage and Indigenous graduation rates soar.

Can Facebook Predict Coronavirus Spikes?

2 min read

In this week’s news briefing: social media data is tracking COVID-19 and schools begin to open with anti-viral measures in place.

Coronavirus Help Is Everywhere

3 min read

American bartenders get a lifeline, French perfumers churn out hand sanitizer, Britain grows a volunteer army and locked-down Chinese students find classmates in Israel.

A Balm to Heal Strip-Mined Mountaintops

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: the strafed summits of Kentucky find a grizzled savior and an underground turbine keeps the lights on in Halifax.

The DIY Wheelchair Ramp

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: a device that turns impassable into accessible, a preschool wrapped in a bus and free legal help for tenants facing eviction.

Growing Pot with Beer Bubbles

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: Brewery emissions find a higher purpose and transit-oriented soccer fields sprout in Atlanta.

This Apple Computer Stops Food from Spoiling

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: a device to prevent rotting produce, gay rights advance in Virginia and Japan makes a science of lost-and-found.

A Proven Way to Change Voters’ Minds

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: empathy-based political canvassing, old seeds grown anew and pavement that lets the water in.

The Pack Is Back

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: The triumphant return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park, and a company dispatches teenagers to help seniors with their iPads.

Why Australia Is Lighting New Bush Fires

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: a millennia-old approach to controlling Australia’s wildfires, and a city in Illinois gets to know its homeless.

A More Sensitive Supermarket

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: simulating disability in a retail environment, turning down take-away plastics and tidying up the ocean floor.

Uber’s Ambulance Service

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: Medicaid picks up the tab for ride-hailing to the doctor, and wind farms sprout from Fukushima’s abandoned farmland.

The Fixer: Fighting Pollution Like a Mother

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: moms get mad, journos shack up and cash for cops finds a new home.

The Decade in Cheer

9 min read

Homicides fell, green space grew and your weather forecast got a lot more precise. The last 10 years were filled with positive change—really! Read our list…

The Fixer: Water under the Bridge

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: the need to hydrate brings peace between rivals in Darfur, and renewable energy gets some unlikely proponents.

The Fixer: Welcoming in the Formerly Incarcerated

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: housing former prison inmates in people’s homes, building bird-friendly skyscrapers and solving an equestrian community’s poop problem.

RTBC holiday cards: DIY!

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From us to you, to yours. Give your loved ones a reason to be cheerful this holiday season.

The Fixer: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Buy ‘Em

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: buying up housing to keep it affordable, crunching the data on opioids and stopping storm surges with sand.

The Fixer: CPR Training With Curves

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: CPR dummies finally get breasts, lettuce becomes natural gas and an ancient air conditioner cools New Delhi.

The Fixer: Turning Farm Workers into Farm Owners

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: incubating a new generation of agri-preneurs, soaking up stormwater and canceling carbon.

The Fixer: Darkening the Sky to Reveal the Heavens

4 min read

In this week’s news briefing: bridges help disadvantaged university students get ahead, Holland brings back the night sky and an end to scooter segregation.

The Fixer: A Japanese City’s Brazilian Lifeline

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: Brazilians put down roots in Japan, Jamaican gardeners cultivate coral and medical care arrives on the islands of Bangladesh.

The Fixer: An Insurance Giant Embraces ‘Housing First’

4 min read

In this week’s news briefing: ending homelessness for profit, coffee saves the rainforest and rural America takes on climate change.

The Fixer: A Power Plant You Can Ski

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: healing Israel’s overcrowded hospitals, healthier snacks for condors and a ski slope that converts waste into energy.

The Fixer: Guiding India’s Wanderers

4 min read

In this week’s news briefing: helping India’s “wandering” people find their way home, a broader lens on bikeability and a plan to keep teachers from walking away.

The Fixer: Picasso Over Prosecution

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: a choice between art class and prison, engineers without bathroom borders and license and voter registration, please.

The Fixer: A Cool, Refreshing Glass of Fog

3 min read

In this week’s news briefing: Pulling drinking water from the mist, post-prison seniors and hyper-humane malaria eradication.

The Fixer: Who’s Afraid of Collectivism?

3 min read

In this first edition of RTBC’s weekly news briefing, stories of street redesign in Amsterdam, solar systems in California and cooperative farming in China.

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