Dunkirk, France makes all public transportation free
The free bus service started in September of 2018. Since then, there has been an increase in ridership, rising 57% during the week and 115% on weekends.
Europe
New drugs improve late-stage melanoma survival rate in the U.K. from 5% to 52%
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and kills nearly 2,300 people each year. Doctors said this new intervention marked an extraordinary and rapid transformation in care.
The Ocean Cleanup begins catching trash in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
At age 19, Boyan Slat founded The Ocean Cleanup. The organization has developed a massive plastic-cleaning device which is now operating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Burger King removes plastic toys from kids’ meals in the U.K.
Burger King claims the initiative will save 320 tonnes of single use plastic every year. This move will help them reach their 2025 goal to make all packaging 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable.
IKEA will produce more energy than it consumes by 2020
IKEA will generate more renewable energy before the end of 2019 than the energy its stores use. Ultimately, it plans to be climate-positive by 2030.
Sainsbury’s to cut plastic packaging in half by 2025
The U.K. supermarket giant currently uses almost 120,000 tonnes of plastic packaging per year.
Sarajevo hosts landmark gay pride parade
The capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina has held its first ever gay pride event amid heavy security. Bosnia is the last of the countries of former Yugoslavia to hold a pride event.
Iceland Supermarket’s ‘reverse vending machines’ reach one million plastic bottles recycled
Iceland supermarkets have recycled over one million plastic bottles in just over a year, thanks to a trial of ‘reverse vending machines’ in five of its U.K. stores.
Ireland to plant 440 million trees over the next 20 years
The Irish government has announced an ambitious plan to fight climate change, setting a planting target of 440 million trees by 2040.
Offshore wind boom is transforming U.K.’s coastal town economy
Growth in the U.K. offshore wind industry is transforming the U.K.’s coastal towns from empty ports to bustling industry with thousands of skilled job opportunities.