Hawaii becomes 26th U.S. state to decriminalize marijuana
The new law removes the possibility of jail time as a penalty for up to three grams of marijuana, but maintains a $130 fine.
Good News Links
German court allows Peruvian farmer to sue RWE over climate crisis
The lawsuit alleges that since RWE has produced an roughly 0.47% of GHG emitted by industry, it should be liable to pay an equivalent of the costs.
48% of the new cars sold in Norway in 2019 are fully electric
Almost half of new cars sold in Norway in the first six months of 2019 were fully electric, up from just over 25% in the same period last year.
Minnesota Methodists resolve to allow officiating of same-sex unions, LGBT ordination
Members of Minnesota’s United Methodist Church voted to commit to full inclusion of LGBT people.
Nestle creates wrapper that degrades in the sea within six months
“We know it will degrade in a marine environment within six months, which, compared to the flow wrap that it’s currently in, it’s about 450 years.”
New California budget offers two free years of community college
The new California budget spends $280 million in total to make college more affordable.
New York City begins enforcing Styrofoam ban
The city banned Styrofoam because the material can’t be “recycled in a manner that is economically feasible” or “environmentally effective.”
Scientists eliminate HIV in animal genome in historic first
Existing HIV treatment used antiretroviral therapy, which is not a cure for HIV and requires lifelong use. In this study, researchers used a gene editing system to remove large fragments of HIV DNA from infected cells, along with a new drug regimen called long-acting slow-effective release. This approach eliminated HIV DNA from about one-third of the mice, marking the first time that HIV had been eradicated from the genomes of living animals.
Lightyear unveils the world’s first long-range solar car
Lightyear’s solar-powered EV boasts a range of 450 miles on a single charge – far more than the 370 miles of Tesla’s market-leading Model S.
Paris bans nearly 3 million vehicles during weekdays to curb pollution
The policy is set to ban diesel cars and vans made before Jan. 1, 2006, from the city between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays.