Arbor Day Foundation launches 100 million tree-planting initiative
The Arbor Day Foundation recently announced its Time for Trees initiative, which aims to plant 100 million trees by 2022.
Civil society
In major shift, Mormon Church reverses anti-LGBT policies
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is reversing its controversial 2015 policy that classified people in same-sex marriages as “apostates.” Children of parents who identify as LGBT may now also be blessed as infants and baptized.
Sikhs aim to plant million trees as ‘gift to the planet’
The project aims to reverse environmental decline and help people reconnect with nature as part of celebrations marking 550 years since the birth of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak.
Lake Region Electric Cooperative in Minnesota launches first-of-its-kind solar-wind hybrid renewable energy plant
In GE’s integrated renewable energy system, electricity from the solar panels is funneled through the wind turbine converter. The overall capacity of the system will increase by 3% to 4%, while boosting annual production by up to 10%.
Iguanas successfully reintroduced to Galapagos island after 200 years
More than 1,400 land iguanas, scientific name Conolophus subcristatus, were taken from the neighboring North Seymour Island and released on Santiago Island between January 3 and 4.
Church of England welcomes trans people into the faith
The Church of England has issued new guidance saying that it “welcomes and encourages the unconditional affirmation of trans people” and offers clergy ways to help them celebrate the sacrament of baptism in a meaningful, inclusive way.
Gun control groups eclipse NRA in U.S. election spending
Amid a numbing succession of mass shootings, gun control groups outspent the National Rifle Association in the midterm election cycle.
Local watershed non-profits in the United States have improved water quality, study shows
“We determined that the presence of water groups in a watershed resulted in improved water quality and higher proportions of swimmable and fishable water bodies.”
£1.4M prize awaits U.K. circular plastics flagship projects
This competition aims to engage Britain’s best scientists and innovators to help move the country towards a more circular economy and sustainable approaches to plastics.
The world’s largest collection of rice is now permanently funded
Like the “doomsday” seed vault in Norway, the purpose of the IRRI gene bank is to ensure we never find ourselves in a position where our food supply isn’t secure and diverse.