Good News Headlines 5/22/2023
Photo©Tom Tietz/123rf
Colorado Wild Horse Bill Passes With Huge Majority Of Politicians Supporting Laws To Protect The State’s Mustangs
by Good News Network
The Colorado General Assembly has passed unprecedented and groundbreaking legislation known as The Colorado Wild Horse Project, a new law that adds state protections for the rights of mustangs and burros to reside in their homes. The move comes as a response to last year’s tragedy when 145 horses died during a flu outbreak in a holding facility that was later found to be in breach of 13 policies. The vast bipartisan support in the General Assembly where SB23-275 was passed by an overwhelming majority of lawmakers—an indication of how important wild horses and public lands are to a broad swath of Americans.
Rail Workers Union Wins ‘Trailblazing’ Paid Sick Leave Deal With Norfolk Southern
by Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams
A leading railroad workers’ union struck a landmark deal with industry giant Norfolk Southern to provide more than 3,300 employees up to seven days of paid sick leave each year. “This is a big day for the BLET,” declared Scott Bunten, general chairman. “Our members are the heart of the railroad, and this agreement is a major win in our tireless efforts to improve the quality of their experience on and off the job.” Similarly describing the union’s engineers as “the hardest-working folks on the railroad,” fellow BLET chairman Jerry Sturdivant said the agreement “recognizes the critical contributions our members make to keep the railroad and the American economy running.”
Canadian Family Turns Old School Into Hydroponic Farm Growing Fresh Veggies Even In Winter For The Whole Town
by Andy Corbley, Good News Network
A rural Saskatchewan winter is nothing to take lightly, and if there’s any farming to be done it better be in a greenhouse. Or does it? It turns out that an old schoolhouse will do just fine for one farming couple, who provide fresh veggies to the whole town. In Hudson Bay, June and Jan Nel run a hydroponic farm equipped with a drive-through window where they grow and distribute romaine, butter, baby romaine, red romaine, green oakleaf, red oakleaf, muir, and batavia lettuces, as well as kale, dill, basil, cucumbers, arugula, swiss chard, tomatoes, radishes, and parsley. They do it in the old community school in the town of 1,504.
Amazon Deforestation Drops 64% In Brazil In April
by Paige Bennett, EcoWatch
Preliminary data shows that deforestation in the Amazon rainforest within Brazil has seen a 64% decline compared to deforestation in April 2022. The findings represent a major shift under Brazil’s newly elected President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, who campaigned on promises to end deforestation in the country. The data could signal hopes of reversing an alarming report from earlier this year, when the rainforest experienced record-high deforestation in February. In January 2023, Lula’s first month of presidency, Amazon deforestation declined 61% year over year, as reported by Reuters.
Outdoor Brands Phase Out PFAS, “Forever Chemicals,” Ahead Of State Bans
by Tatum McConnell, Environmental Health News
The outdoor footwear company KEEN made a discovery about their shoes in 2014: they were rife with stain- and water-resistant chemicals known to harm human health called PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” Laces, buckles, interior textiles and more were receiving a PFAS treatment. “PFAS were being applied to styles that were meant to go in the water, and a water shoe doesn’t need to be waterproof,” Lauren Hood, KEEN sustainability manager, told Environmental Health News (EHN). The company started by asking suppliers to stop using unnecessary PFAS, which removed about 65% of this type of chemicals in their products.
