Good News Headlines 10/23/2023
Photo courtesy Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration
Cranberry Growers Are Bringing Wetlands Back From The Dead
by Nicole Pollack, Reasons to Be Cheerful
Cranberry bogs — naturally swampy areas infused with sand to create the ideal growing conditions for the iconic North American fruit — have been a staple of the Massachusetts landscape and economy for centuries. At the turn of the new millennium, the industry was in a tough spot. An overabundance of cranberries on the market from higher-yielding new cultivars in Wisconsin and Quebec had caused prices to crash and then swing wildly, even after the federal government started paying growers for surplus production. Some Massachusetts cranberry bogs no longer made financial sense, and for farmers who had exhausted every option to stay in operation, development was the only reliable way out. But it wasn’t a fate those farmers wanted for the land they loved.
From Rat-Ridden To Reserve, Redonda Is An Island Restoration Role Model
by Elizabeth Claire Alberts, Mongabay
Seven years ago, Redonda, a volcanic island in the Caribbean Sea, resembled the moon’s surface: a dusty, debris-covered, barren terrain. The island, which is part of Antigua and Barbuda, had once been mined for guano, seabird excrement used for fertilizer. However, mining operations on Redonda ceased around the start of World War I, and when the miners were gone, they left behind a legacy of rats and goats. Then, in 2016, conservationists began removing the rats and goats to restore the island. They first used a rodenticide to eliminate the rats while not harming other biodiversity. Then, they captured and transported the small population of goats by helicopter off the island, most of whom had been starving due to the lack of food on Redonda.
This Was The Summer That Women’s Sport Hit The Big Time
by Robin Eveleigh, Positive News
Record viewing figures for women’s football, match-fee parity for England’s women cricketers, talks at the highest levels about nurturing the next generation of Lionesses and female athletes across the board. After decades in the shadows, women’s sport is finally enjoying some of the limelight it deserves. Twelve years ago, the Women’s World Cup drew a global audience of around 63 million. This year, Fifa said that it was more like 2 billion people – a 30-fold increase. The England v Spain showdown this summer hit a combined peak of 14.8 million viewers in the UK, setting a record for a Women’s World Cup final. Meanwhile in Spain, 7.4 million watched, the country’s highest ever audience for a women’s fixture.
FCC Takes ‘Great Step’ Toward Restoring Net Neutrality Rules
by Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams
Open internet advocates applauded on Thursday as Democrats on the Federal Communication Commission voted to begin reestablishing FCC oversight of broadband and reviving net neutrality rules rolled back under former President Donald Trump. “Today’s vote is an important start to restoring internet freedom and openness,” said Public Knowledge president and CEO Chris Lewis. “Over the next few months, the FCC and the public at large will have an opportunity to look carefully at the benefits of having broadband included in the communications networks that fall under FCC authority.” FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel announced her plan to ensure broadband is treated as a public utility last month.
Old Coal Mine Filled With Warm Water Has Been Heating A Town With Green Energy For 6 Months
by Andy Corbley, Good News Network
Britain’s deep coal mines have become a surprising source of green energy, one that’s been heating the town of Gateshead successfully for 6 months. The scheme is believed to be replicable in areas with extensive abandoned mine works, and offers a kind of renewable redemption for a nation with a long history of dirty energy. Gateshead Council’s mine water project launched in March 2023 and now has a large central heat pump that provides low-carbon heating to 350 high-rise buildings, an art gallery, a college, an industrial park, and several office buildings. Britain’s hundreds of miles of coal mining tunnels were gradually abandoned over the decades. Inundated by flood waters that became heated by the Earth’s core, Britain suddenly had a semi-naturally occurring geothermal energy source to harvest.
