Good News Headlines 5/27/2024
The Oakland Unified School District in California has partnered with Zūm, a school transportation services company, to transition to a fleet of 74 entirely electric buses. Zūm
Oakland School District Transitions To 100% Electric Bus Fleet
by Paige Bennett, EcoWatch
The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) in the Bay Area of California is set to fully transition its school bus fleet to electric buses. With this move, it is expected to become the first big school district in the U.S. to switch to 100% electric buses with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities. The school district has partnered with Zūm, a school transportation services company, to acquire a fleet of 74 entirely electric buses. In addition, the school district will receive bidirectional chargers, which can not only charge the buses but send stored or excess energy from the vehicles back to the grid.
Texas Food Bank Builds Housing For The People Who Need Their Food–Right Next Door
by Andy Corbley, Good News Network
A food bank in a fast-growing Texas community is building affordable housing next to its bank, to ensure people who have to juggle food and rent are able to, with minimal effort. The 51-unit apartment complex hasn’t gone up yet, but planning has begun for facilities that would temporarily house people struggling to afford the cost of living while undertaking job training or studies. 30 minutes outside San Antonio lies one of the fastest-growing towns in the US: New Braunfels.
A Billionaire Surprised Graduates Onstage With Cash, But It’s Not All Theirs To Keep
by Rachel Treisman, NPR
Graduating students at UMass Dartmouth left their commencement ceremony with more than just their diplomas, after one of the speakers surprised them with envelopes stuffed with hundreds of dollars in cash. The caveat? It’s not all theirs to keep. “The greatest joys in life that we have experienced have come from giving,” Robert Hale Jr. said onstage Thursday, referring to himself and his wife Karen. “We want to share that gift of giving with you today.” Hale was onstage during Thursday’s rainy ceremony to accept the Chancellor’s Medal for his philanthropic work.
Virginia Teacher Retired After 67 Years – And Just Left $1 Million To Her School ‘Family’
by Good News Network
Even after her death, Lillian Orlich is still serving the students of the Virginia school system where she taught for 67 years before retiring at 89. In her will, she left them $1 million. Known as “Ms. O” by generations of students, Lillian passed away on March 7. Within a month, employees at Prince William County Schools learned the news of her generous donation. It may be surprising that a high school history teacher could save a million bucks, but she never married or had children, and friends say she lived a frugal lifestyle.
I Invented A Pedal-Powered Home Office. Now I Exercise – And Save Energy – At My Desk
by Victoria Namkung, The Guardian
I grew up during the 1970s, a decade heavily shaped by the 1973 and 1979 oil crises. The first nearly quadrupled the price of oil, and a number of measures were subsequently taken here in the US to conserve energy. The speed limit was cut to 55 miles per hour, daylight savings time was instituted and gasoline was rationed by license plate number. My father, who rarely rode his bicycle, began commuting by bike 24 miles round trip each day. Experiencing those events made me keenly aware of how dependent we are on fossil fuels, and how bicycles can help reduce that dependence.
